DETAINEE 001 gives the definitive account of John Walker Lindh’s story with never-before-revealed details from his legal case and unpacks challenging truths and shifting allegiances behind one of the most compelling and unresolved mysteries of the post-9/11 age. Lindh’s case set a precedent for how Americans caught up in the War on Terror were prosecuted, and the film examines how American military and justice systems have grappled with the two decades since his detention. Drawing on unique access to the world of intelligence and special operations, DETAINEE 001 pieces together the defining yet almost-forgotten origin story of post-9/11 America. From the battlefield to the courtroom, Barker’s film confronts the unresolved issues at the heart of Lindh’s case, including his role in the uprising that led to the first casualty of the war in Afghanistan, CIA officer Johnny Micheal Spann. Even after nearly 20 years, clarity on justice remains elusive, leaving a nagging open sore at the heart of the American soul.