A man (Quaid) is executed in the electric chair for having killed several women, but due to lightning striking a transformer at the moment of execution, he survives. As soon as he's well, however, they plan to electrocute him again, but now he has become a changed man and the female criminal Psychiatrist (Davidtz) attributes it to the electrocution wiping out certain brain cells. But more, she finds that the man is capable of psychic awareness of killings about to happen and although he is able to help the police, there is still public opinion that fights against any chance for clemency... they want him executed again.