New drama '61st Street' aims to spark conversation about criminal justice system

Courtney B. Vance as Franklin Roberts and Tosin Cole as Moses Johnson are seen in a scene of AMC Networks' "61st Street" in this undated handout photo. George Burns/AMC/Handout via REUTERS

In AMC Networks' new U.S. television drama "61st Street," Emmy and Tony award-winning actor Courtney B. Vance plays devoted lawyer Franklin Roberts who decides to go all in on a case that could shake the criminal justice system.

Roberts represents Moses Johnson (played by British actor Tosin Cole), a promising Black high school track runner in Chicago destined for success in college. Johnson is wrongfully accused of murdering a police officer, setting the scene for plot twists that lead to a bigger discussion of systemic issues in a marginalized community, including its relationship with the police department, drug wars, prison conditions and access to resources.