Daley responds to torture lawsuit that names him

Former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has filed papers in federal court denying he was part of a conspiracy in which former police Cmdr. Jon Burge tortured criminal suspects.

Daley was responding Friday to a lawsuit filed by Michael Tillman, who was 20 when he was arrested for a 1986 murder. He says officers tortured him for four days until he confessed. He was exonerated and freed in 2010.

In addition to Daley, Tillman is suing several police officers and the city for their roles in his wrongful conviction.

In a 49-page response in U.S. District Court, Daley denies he knew Tillman was “wrongfully charged” or that he helped to conceal or suppress knowledge of the alleged torture and physical abuse.

Burge was imprisoned last year for lying about abusing suspects.