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The family of former NFL running back Doug Martin has sued the city of Oakland, its police department and an ambulance company, alleging their actions contributed to the circumstances surrounding his death.
In the lawsuit, the NFL star’s parents claim police played a role in the 36-year-old’s death and allege that paramedics did not respond quickly enough to calls for medical attention. Martin’s parents, Leslie and Douglas, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The suit says the plaintiffs believe Martin died of restraint asphyxiation, which they say was “caused by the Oakland police officers and the failure of FALCK NORCAL paramedics to provide timely medical care.” He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
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Doug Martin of the Oakland Raiders carries the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half of their NFL game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California on November 11, 2018. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Leslie called paramedics in response to her son’s mental health crisis on October 18. Martin then fled and hid in a neighbor’s house two doors away, where Oakland police found him in the basement, according to the suit.
According to the suit, Leslie called paramedics on Oct. 18 after her son began experiencing a mental health crisis. Martin then left the house and hid in a neighbor’s house. Oakland police later found him in the basement. Additionally, the lawsuit states that law enforcement officers physically restrained Martin and placed him “face down on the ground while one or more officers put pressure on his back.” When the officers turned Martin onto his side, he was unresponsive, and at that point, the suit alleges, the officers thought he was “sleeping or pretending to sleep.”
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The lawsuit also alleges that law enforcement restrained Martin, placed him “face down on the ground while one or more officers pressed on his back,” and then found him unconscious after turning him onto his side. The officers believed Martin was “sleeping or pretending to sleep,” the suit continues. It also alleges that at least one officer requested medical assistance when Martin remained unresponsive.
The Martin family alleges the response was not immediate enough, saying Falck Northern California paramedics arrived about 15 minutes after the call for service, according to the suit. “When they arrived,” the complaint states, they “failed to provide medical care in a timely manner.”
Oakland Raiders running back Doug Martin is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers safety Jahleel Addae during an NFL game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California on November 11, 2018. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
“They just want to know what happened,” John Burris, an attorney representing the family, told The Athletic. “Here was a situation where the mother was calling for help. He was emotionally beside himself and she was calling for help.”
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“When you call for help and the police arrive, it’s not a death sentence. You don’t expect the person to die.” Burris continued. He said an independent pathologist, who has not been named, told Martin’s parents that restraint asphyxia may have been the cause of their son’s death.
Martin’s parents are seeking damages including wrongful death, hospital and medical expenses, coroner’s fees, funeral and burial costs, loss of family support and relationships, among others.
Burris noted that Martin’s mother sent her son’s brain to Boston, where Boston University’s CTE Center is based, in an effort to find out whether he had developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a condition that can only be diagnosed after death. While the pathologist told Burris that a CTE result “is really of no consequence as far as cause of death,” Burris said the family was seeking a clearer picture of Martin’s brain health.
An Oakland Police patrol car is parked in front of Oakland Police Headquarters in Oakland, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
It is the policy of the Oakland Police Department not to comment publicly on pending litigation. PK Press Club Digital was referred to the Oakland City Attorney’s Office, which also had no comment on the case. Representatives for Falck Northern California could not immediately be reached for comment.
Martin, an Oakland native, closed out his NFL career with the Oakland Raiders in 2018. Before that, he spent six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who selected him in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
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He was suspended for four games in 2016 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. After testing positive for Adderall, Martin revealed his plans to enter a treatment program.
Martin finished his NFL run with over 5,300 rushing yards and was named to two Pro Bowl teams. He played college football at Boise State.
