Deadline is reporting that Oscar-winning filmmaker Taylor Hackford (Ray, The Comedian) has signed on to direct Anthony Mackie (Detroit) in the drama Signal Hill, which will see Mackie Portraying attorney Johnnie Cochran, famous for defending O.J. Simpson in the ‘Trial of the Century’.
Scripted by David McMillan, Signal Hill revolves around the Signal Hill police brutality case, whereby a young African American Ron Settles was arrested for speeding and was later found hanged in his cell. Although the police ruled it a suicide, Cochran persuaded Settles’ family to have his body exhumed, where it was then discovered he had been beaten and choked to death. The subsequent civil suit saw Settles’ family awarded $760,000.
In addition to directing, Hackford will also produce with Mackie, Jason Spire, Robbie Brenner, Kevin McKeon and Jeff Kwatinetz. Production is slated to get underway in January.
