Aldermen today recommended paying more than $7 million to two men who say they were tortured by former Police Cmdr. John Burge, a move that means former Mayor Richard Daley will not be deposed about what he may have known about one of the cases.



Michael Tillman spent more than 23 years in prison for the 1986 murder and rape of a South Side woman. He said he confessed after Chicago police detectives under Burge's command punched him, hit him with a telephone book and put a plastic bag over his head, as well as other torture and coercion.



In addition to Burge and other police officials, Tillman sued Daley, who was Cook County state's attorney at the time of his conviction. Daley agreed to give a deposition in the case, but the $5.375 million settlement Tillman has agreed to means that deposition will not go forward.



Flint Taylor, Tillman's attorney, said he was disappointed he would not have a chance to question Daley, but said Daley remains connected to the Burge cases. "I don't think Daley's name will ever be removed from the pantheon of conspirators in the Burge torture cases," Taylor said. There are other pending Burge cases, and Daley could still be questioned as part of one of those, Taylor said.