Conviction

***Conviction*** is a legal drama that was ordered by ABC on May 12, 2016. It centers on Hayes Morrison who is blackmailed to work for the newly created Conviction Integrity Unit, by her nemesis Conner Wallace. It originally aired from October 3, 2016 to January 29, 2017. On May 11, 2017, ABC canceled the series.

## Press Release

"When it comes to our justice system, nothing is ever black and white. Just ask Hayes Morrison. Hayes, a lawyer and former first daughter, is a hero – a controversial one. She finds herself in a tricky position, facing jail time for drug possession or accepting a job from her nemesis, New York District Attorney Conner Wallace. In an effort to avoid damaging her mother's Senate campaign, for better or worse, she accepts his offer.

"Each week, the CIU examines front-page cases which are provocative, socially relevant and emotionally charged. With only five days to come to a conclusion on each case, they question if the system failed, if jobs were done properly, if there was the possibility of a cover up, and ultimately if justice was served. The diverse members of the unit are complicated in their own right, and their explosive dynamics are all on display – the good, the bad and the ugly. With a shared past and equally competitive nature, Hayes and Wallace clash both professionally and personally. With a general mistrust for people, Wallace's political aspirations only further push Hayes to double down on her skepticism of her charismatic boss."

## Plot

Hayes Morrison grew up in the public eye as the nation's First Daughter. Now she is a gorgeous mess, with a brilliant legal mind but a self-destructive streak. Arrested for cocaine possession, she gets an offer from Conner Wallace, the NY District Attorney: no jail time if she heads his new Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) that re-examines cases where there's credible suspicion of wrongful conviction. Hayes resents having to take the offer, but is not totally upset about working with Wallace. He was her former courtroom nemesis, who she still finds rather sexy.

She is working with the CIU team including forensics expert Franklin Cruz, paralegal Tess Larson, and former NYPD detective Maxine Bohen, who makes a point of telling Hayes that she didn't vote for her father, the former President.

They have tight deadlines to identify cases where they suspect the wrong person has been convicted of a crime.

The first case should be easy to overturn, but it's not. Neither is Wallace who has Assistant DA Sam Spencer spy on Hayes, and calls her bluff when she tries to get herself fired. Wallace's tough love is a turn-on.

But it all gets worse when she finds out that her mother, the former First Lady who is running for Senate, was the one behind job offer. If Hayes quits, she is going to jail.

She better work, despite her demons, because this is really her last second chance. She needs this job as much as the wrongfully convicted need her brilliance. It's time to follow her mother's advice: "Do your best. For once."

## Episodes

1. "Pilot"
2. "Bridge and Tunnel Vision"
3. "Dropping Bombs"
4. "Mother's Little Burden"
5. "The 1% Solution"
6. "#StayWoke"
7. "A Simple Man"
8. "Bad Deals"
9. "A Different Kind of Death"
10. "Not Okay"
11. "Black Orchid"
12. "Enemy Combatant"
13. "Past, Prologue & What's to Come"

## Production

*Conviction* is produced by The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios.

ABC in 2015 comissioned Mark Gordon's other show, which stars Kiefer Sutherland for a series for the 2016-17 season. Then Gordon submitted another script **Conviction**. In February 2016 ABC ordered a pilot with Agent Carter's Hayley Atwell attached to star. This worried Agent Carter fans as they thought the show would get cancelled, due to the actress going to Conviction. But Deadline reported she would be able to be in both.

Eddie Cahill was cast on 7 March 2016 as the male lead. Emily Kinney was cast on 7 February 2016, the rest of the cast were anounced on 11 February 2016. The series was given an order on 12 May 2016, cancelling Agent Carter. In the ABC Upfronts it was announced the first series will premier in the fall. Daniel di Tomasso exited the show on 21 June 2016.

## Starring Cast

* Hayley Atwell as Hayes Morrison
* Eddie Cahill as Conner Wallace
* Shawn Ashmore as Sam Spencer
* Merrin Dungey as Maxine Bohen
* Emily Kinney as Tess Larson
* Manny Montana as Frankie Cruz
* Daniel Franzese as Jackson Morrison

## Crew

*Main article: Conviction/Crew*
*Conviction* was co-created by Liz Friedman and Liz Friedlander. Both Friedman and Friedlander serve as executive producers, as well as Mark Gordon and Nicholas Pepper.

**Writers include**:

* Liz Friedman
* Liz Friedlander
* Thomas L. Moran
* Samantha Corbin-Miller
* Steve Lichtman
* Jewel McPherson
* Lynne E. Litt
* Simran Baidwan
* Eduardo Javier Canto
* Ryan Maldonado
* Thomas Moran
* Vincent Angell

**Directors include**:

* Liz Friedlander
* Rob Seidenglanz
* Paul Holahan
* Scott Hornbacher
* Christine Moore
* Brad Turner
* John Stuart Scott
* Andrew McCarthy
* Jan Eliasberg
* Metin Huseyin
* Paul Edwards

## Gallery

### Promotional Images

Hayley Atwell as Hayes MorrisonPromotional Image
## Videos

Conviction - First LookConviction - Official TrailerConviction (ABC) Hayley Atwell Interview HDConviction (ABC) "Shawn Ashmore" Interview HDConviction (ABC) "Emily Kinney" Interview HD
## External links

* *Conviction* at ABC (official website)
* *Conviction* at ABC Press (official press website)
* *Conviction* at Wikipedia
* *Conviction* at IMDb