There can never been too many powerful Black women on television, and surely, Viola Davis can attest to that. The “How to Get Away with Murder” actress plays smart, alluring defense lawyer Annalise Keating, and now she is developing a project allowing another successful lady-in-charge to shine.
Davis is set to produce “Conviction,” a drama about Detroit Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy, Deadline reports.
Worthy is known as the “toughest woman in Detroit” and is the first African-American woman to serve as prosecutor in Wayne County. Her office handles more than half of the felony cases in Michigan. In 2008, Worthy charged then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick with conspiracy, misconduct of office, and a slew of other offenses that led to his highly publicized 28-year sentencing.
The celebrated public official is currently focused on collecting funding and obtaining necessary legislation to resolve a backlog of 11,000 unprocessed rape kits. In early 2014, she invited Mariska Hargitay, star of “Law and Order: SVU,” to join her in the effort.
Davis enlisted co-producers Julius Tennon and Debra Martin Chase (Sparkle) for the program, as well as Jason Wilborn (Castle) to write. Worthy has agreed to be a consultant for the project. The show is expected to air on ABC, which is also home to “How to Get Away with Murder.”