A New Jersey man who spent four years in jail before a jury concluded he did not commit a 2013 double murder is suing local authorities, alleging they ignored evidence and tried to wear him down to “extort a plea agreement.”

Michael Brady of Teaneck has suffered “embarrassment, humiliation and severe and permanent mental anguish” as a result of his imprisonment and the high-profile case that accused him of killing his ex-girlfriend and her 5-year-old daughter, according to a federal civil rights lawsuit filed Monday.

According to the lawsuit, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office ignored evidence entered by their own expert that indicated Brady was not the killer, while also neglecting to test DNA evidence found at the scene.

Prosecutors subjected Brady, a Jamaica native, to numerous trial adjournments and conducted a month-long trial in which they called on more than 30 expert witnesses, according to the lawsuit.

The defense called no witnesses and Brady was found not guilty by a jury in less than two hours in September 2017.

“These delays were part of a thinly veiled strategy to wear (Brady) down and to make him feel desperate and hopeless as to extort a plea agreement from (Brady),” the lawsuit says.

Brady, who was then a janitor at Leonia Middle School, maintained his innocence since he pleaded not guilty to the crimes in 2013 and had his bail set at $2 million.

In January 2013, Brady went to check on his ex-girlfriend, Tam Marie Pitts-Gaddy, and her 5-year-old daughter, Natasia, at their Englewood home after they did not return a number of his phone calls, according to the lawsuit.

The door was locked, according to the lawsuit, but Brady had a feeling they were home so he broke through the window. He soon found Pitts-Gaddy stabbed nearly a dozen times and her daughter suffocated in the basement, according to the suit.

While this was happening, a neighbor who saw Brady break into the home contacted police. He was later arrested and charged with the murder.

In a police interrogation video played for jurors at his trial, Brady proclaimed his innocence more than 100 times. His criminal defense attorney, Kevin G. Roe, said at the trial that authorities “went along with the mob psychology” when they arrested Brady.

Prosecutors argued Brady got into an violent dispute with Pitts-Gaddy and stabbed her before suffocating Natasia in order to silence her.

“It is believed the child witnessed the altercation and stabbing, and that Brady smothered her to death by holding a plastic bag over her head. He then fled the residence,” then-Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said after Brady was arrested.

In closing arguments, prosecutors recounted testimony of friends and family who told stories of Brady being abusive toward Pitts-Gaddy.

But the turning point in the trial may have been when a former FBI agent, who specializes in foot impression evidence, said he did not believe that bloody footprints at the scene were Brady’s, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims, the Bergen County prosecutor’s Office “ignored” the opinion of their expert and continued to pursue charges against Brady.

The footsteps, the expert said, matched those of the 19-year-old nephew of Pitts-Gaddy who lived with her until she kicked him out of the home shortly before her death, according to the lawsuit. A bottle of 409 cleaner allegedly used to clean the blood, according to the lawsuit, had the nephew’s fingerprints on the bottle.

Assistant Prosecutor James Santulli told jurors that the nephew was too small to carry out the violent crime. The case remains unsolved.

The lawsuit also claims that prosecutors failed to test DNA from a hair sample that was found in the left hand of Pitts-Gaddy at the crime scene.

“The failure to test this critical piece of evidence is inexplicable,” the lawsuit says.

The two-count lawsuit alleges Brady’s civil rights were deprived and he was falsely imprisoned.

The lawsuit filed Monday names the Bergen County prosecutor’s office, former Bergen County prosecutor Molinelli and the New Jersey Attorney General. The lawsuit says Molinelli was “ultimately responsible” for Brady’s prosecution. He declined to comment on the case.

A prosecutor’s office spokesperson said they do not comment on ongoing litigation. The Attorney General’s office declined to comment through a spokesperson.

William Pinilis, who is representing Brady, did not return a message seeking comment.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Allison Pries contributed reporting to this story.

Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Follow on Twitter @monavage. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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