Doug Martin’s parents sue Oakland over former NFL star’s death in custody

The family of former NFL running back Doug Martin is suing 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 parents of the late NFL star claim that 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 lawsuit states that the plaintiffs believe Martin died from restraint asphyxiation, which they say was “caused by Oakland police officers and the failure of FALCK NORCAL paramedics to provide timely medical attention.” He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

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Leslie called paramedics in response to her son having a mental health crisis on October 18. Martin then fled and hid at a neighbor’s house two doors away, where the Oakland Police Department found him in the basement, according to the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, Leslie called paramedics on October 18 after her son began experiencing a mental health crisis. Then, Martín left the house and hid in a neighbor’s house. Oakland police later located him in the basement. Additionally, the lawsuit says law enforcement officers physically restrained Martin and placed him “face down while one or more officers placed pressure on his back.” When officers turned Martin on his side, he was unresponsive, at which point the lawsuit alleges that officers thought he was “sleeping or pretending to be asleep.”

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The lawsuit also alleges that law enforcement restrained Martin, placed him “face down while one or more officers pressed on his back” and then found him unconscious after turning him on his side. Officers believed Martin was “sleeping or pretending to be asleep,” the lawsuit continues. It also alleges that at least one officer requested medical assistance while Martin was still unresponsive.

The Martin family alleges the response was not immediate enough, stating that Falck Northern California paramedics arrived about 15 minutes after the call for service was placed, according to the lawsuit. “When they arrived,” the lawsuit says, “they did not immediately provide medical care.”

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 Nov. 11, 2018. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

“They just want to know what happened,” John Burris, an attorney representing the family, told The Athletic. “Here’s a situation where the mother was asking for help. He was emotionally out of it and she was asking for help.”

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“When you call for help and the police come, it’s not a death sentence. You don’t expect the person to die.” Burris continued. He added that an independent pathologist, who was not named, told Martin’s parents that asphyxia due to restraint could have been the cause of their son’s death.

Martin’s parents are seeking damages, including for wrongful death, medical and hospital expenses, coroner’s fees, funeral and burial expenses, loss of family support and relationship, among several others.

Burris noted that Martin’s mother sent her son’s brain to Boston, where the Boston University CTE Center is based, in an effort to learn if he developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease that can only be diagnosed after death. While the pathologist told Burris that a finding of CTE is “really of no consequence as far as the cause of death,” Burris said the family is seeking a clearer picture of Martin’s brain health.

An Oakland police cruiser is parked in front of the Oakland police headquarters in Oakland, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Oakland Police Department has a policy of not commenting publicly on pending litigation. Pak Gazette Digital was referred to the Oakland city attorney’s office, which also did not comment on the case. Falck Northern California representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.

Martin, an Oakland native, closed out his NFL career with the then-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 received a four-game suspension 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 career with over 5,300 rushing yards and was named to two Pro Bowl teams. He played college football at Boise State.