Stefano Cucchi is a young Chartered Building Surveyor who, after being found in possession of some packs of hashish and 2 grams of cocaine, is brought to Regina Coeli (prison) in Rome. During precautionary custody, Cucchi, after losing a large amount of weight and being apparently beaten up, dies suddenly in unclear circumstances. This brings his family, led by his sister Ilaria, to start a battle for the truth and to try to find out the responsibles of Stefano's death.