CBS Develops Modern-Day Western

Exclu: CBS is developing a neo-Western crime drama from the creator of CSI and a legal drama based on a story by crime novelist Joel Goldman.

First up is Desperado, about a band of lawmen who enact cowboy-style justice on modern-day criminals in San Antonio.

CSI mastermind Anthony Zuiker is the executive producer, with Hitman 2 scribe Kyle Ward writing and executive producing and Matthew Weinberg co-executive producing. CBS TV Studios and Dare to Pass are the production companies.

If the logline of Desperado sounds just a tad like Justified, well, the producers of that FX drama are working on something different for CBS: Knife Fight, about a female public defender who "becomes a prosecutor in order to pursue the truth."

It's based on a short story by Goldman and has Michael Cuesta (Dexter)  writing, executive producing and directing, and Gerald Cuesta as writer and co-executive producer. Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly (Justified) are executive producing. CBS TV Studios is the producer along with Timberman/Beverly Prods.