The film examines the events leading to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (and alleged subsequent cover-up) through the eyes of former New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison (played by Kevin Costner) who filed charges against New Orleans businessman Clay Shaw (Tommy Lee Jones) and others for their alleged participation in an alleged conspiracy to assassinate the President. The film was adapted by Stone and Zachary Sklar from the books On the Trail of the Assassins by Jim Garrison and Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy by Jim Marrs.