ABC's 'American Crime' set for January return

Sexual identity and school disparity get the focus when ABC's American Crime returns for its second season Jan. 6, the network announced Friday.

The anthology series, which focused on a California murder in its first season, will be set in the Midwest for Season 2. Many of Season 1's stars, including Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton, Elvis Nolasco and Regina King, will be back, portraying new characters.

The new season will be set at two schools, one public and one private. "Issues of sexual orientation and socioeconomic disparity come to a boil when lurid photos of a high school boy, Taylor Blaine (Connor Jessup), are posted on social media following a school party. Circumstances become more complicated when Taylor accuses two players on an elite private high school’s championship basketball team, Kevin LaCroix (Trevor Jackson) and Eric Tanner (Joey Pollari), of drugging, assaulting and then posting the pictures of him online," according to ABC's description.

The team's head coach, Dan Sullivan (Hutton), seeks to unite players, "while overlooking the dysfunction of his own family. Headmistress Leslie Graham (Huffman) struggles to maintain the school’s reputation in the face of accusations of privilege and cover up," the network says.

"Taylor’s mother, Anne (Lili Taylor), remains a steadfast supporter of her son, despite being publicly assailed by the school’s wealthy families, principle among them the LaCroixs. Taylor’s girlfriend, Evy (Angelique Rivera), deals with racial tension at her own school, led by Principal Chris Dixon (Nolasco). While the two schools at the center of the story are worlds apart in status, the lives of the students and teachers at both become inextricably linked," the description says.  

King, who won an Emmy for her role in Season 1, plays Terri Lacroix. Andre Benjamin, Hope Davis and Richard Cabral will appear in recurring roles. John Ridley is the creator and executive producer.