A man sentenced to life in prison after he allegedly was coerced at age 14 into confessing to the infamous murder of a teacher has sued Denver and various police officers in federal court for $30 million, citing civil rights violations.

Lawrence Rubin Montoya, 31, served 13 years, seven months and 13 days in prison “for a crime he didn’t commit” before his release in 2014 after his conviction was overturned in the death of Denver school teacher Emily Johnson.

Montoya was sentenced to life in prison even though no physical evidence tied him to the scene of the crime, according to the lawsuit.

New York City attorneys Jane Fisher-Byrialsen, David N. Fisher and Kaitlin F. Nares filed the 77-page lawsuit in Denver federal court late Tuesday seeking compensatory and punitive damages, economic losses and attorneys fees. They are requesting a trial by jury.

Johnson was beaten to death after attending a 1999 New Year’s Eve party at Liquid nightclub. She returned home at 2:10 a.m. in a white Lexus that was stolen. A neighbor found her in her backyard barely breathing at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 1, 2000. She had been raped and severely beaten. She died of her injuries.

Between 2:10 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., Montoya was at the home of his girlfriend at 4160 Ames St. and was not involved, the lawsuit says.

Homicide detectives took Montoya to police headquarters at 8 p.m. Jan. 10, 2000, and interviewed him for 2½ hours, during which time he denied 65 times being in Johnson’s home or having anything to do with the murder.

But after detectives Martin Vigil and Michael Martinez and former police Lt. Jonathan Priest used techniques including “false evidence ploy, manipulation, minimization, threats, false promises,” Montoya succumbed to the pressure and confessed falsely, the lawsuit says.

According to the lawsuit, during the interview, detectives cornered Lawrence against the wall in his chair, got in his face, banged the table, yelled at him, stood over him, told him he was not going home, told him he was going to prison for life and that he should be afraid and that he should say goodbye to his mother.

Montoya’s confessions were the sole basis for probable cause in his arrest on Jan. 11, 2000, the lawsuit says. Although Johnson’s attack was very violent, leaving blood all over her house and the yard, none of his blood, fiber, hair or palm prints were found at the scene, it says.

“Having coerced Lawrence‘s confession and with no evidence, whatsoever, connecting Lawrence to Emily Johnson‘s assault and subsequent death, or the theft of her car, in concert or conspiracy, defendants maliciously and baselessly caused Lawrence to be arrested and prosecuted with the serious charges of felony murder, aggravated robbery, first degree burglary and aggravated vehicle theft,” the lawsuit says.

He was sentenced to life without parole Nov. 3, 2000. After professing his innocence thereafter in a series of appeals, Montoya’s charges were dismissed on June 16, 2014.

He pleaded guilty the same day to accessory after the fact, admitting he was in the stolen Lexus later in the day on Jan. 1, 2000, and did not go to authorities when other suspects told him they hit a lady with a rock, the lawsuit says. He had been inside the car for 20 minutes “joyriding” with several others who were not arrested in the murder, the lawsuit says.

Nicholas Martinez, Luke Anaya and Lloyd Martinez and not Montoya murdered Johnson, the lawsuit says.