Justified is the story of Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), a true-blue hero and something of a throwback, given to wearing a Stetson and cowboy boots, carrying his sidearm in a hip holster — a weapon he only draws when he has to, and when he does, he shoots to kill, because, as he sees it, that's the purpose of a gun. The character of Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens was created by America's pre-eminent crime novelist, Elmore Leonard (Get Shorty, Out of Sight), and is played by Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood, Live Free or Die Hard). The Chief Deputy of the Lexington USMS office is Art Mullen, played by Nick Searcy (Cast Away, From the Earth to the Moon). Working alongside Raylan are fellow deputies Tim Gutterson, played by Jacob Pitts (The Pacific), and Rachel Brooks, played by Erica Tazel (Life, The Office). Raylan, Art, and the other deputies do what all U.S. Marshals do — chase down fugitives, protect witnesses, transport prisoners.