Man accused Chicago cops of framing him for murder

A man freed from jail after being held three years for the murder of a child has filed a lawsuit against two Chicago police detectives and the city, claiming he was framed.

Leonard Robinson Jr. in October was acquitted of the murder of the 3-year-old son of his former girlfriend. The acquittal came after a Cook County judge threw out an alleged confession by Robinson, finding that Detective Vincent Humphrey lacked credibility because of his alleged sexual advances toward Robinson's wife.

Robinson was arrested on a domestic battery charge in September 2004. While in custody a second detective allegedly beat him over three days in an attempt to force a confession to the 2001 murder of Diamonte Williams.

"They handcuffed me to a wall and beat me with a TV antenna," Robinson said Wednesday during a news conference at his lawyer's office. "Kicked me, stomped me, spit on me. I was thinking why would they do this? It's not like I'm a troublemaker, I've got no criminal record. Why pick on me?"

After Robinson was charged with murder and jailed, Humphrey allegedly told Robinson's wife he wouldn't be coming home again and offered her an apartment and job at his restaurant. He then called Robinson's wife at least 17 times.

Humphrey remains a police officer in Chicago, while Broock retired from the force and now works for the city's aviation department. Neither man could be reached for comment on the lawsuit.

Police spokesman Monique Bond said the department hadn't seen the lawsuit, but that police Superintendent Jody Weis was committed to rooting out misconduct by any Chicago police officer.