In a tragic turn of events, the parents of Doug Martin, once celebrated as a former All-Pro NFL running back, have claimed that excessive police force coupled with delayed medical attention attributed to their son’s untimely death. The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit targeting the city of Oakland, California, numerous police officers, and an ambulance company, seeking justice and answers.
According to the lawsuit lodged on Tuesday in federal court, Martin’s parents, Leslie and Douglas Martin, contend that their son was undergoing a mental health crisis in October of last year when he encountered Oakland police officers. These officers allegedly restrained Martin by holding him face down, applying pressure on his back, a restraint technique the lawsuit argues was a “substantial factor” in his subsequent death.
“The family is very much interested in finding out what happened to their son,” stated John Burris, the family’s attorney. He emphasized that the lawsuit serves as a crucial tool for uncovering the truth, as traditional means have been insufficient in offering clarity or closure.
Doug Martin, who passed at the age of 36, etched his name in sports history with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His impressive career earned him a spot in the franchise’s top 50 players during its 50th anniversary celebration just last August. Originating from Oakland, Martin’s athletic journey began in Stockton, where he showcased his talents on the high school football stage.
Following Martin’s passing, the police released a statement alleging he was involved in a break-in, asserting a “brief struggle” ensued as officers attempted to apprehend him, leading to him becoming unresponsive. However, the department refrained from disclosing further details, leaving lingering questions about the situation’s full context.
The Oakland Police Department said Thursday it does not comment on pending litigation and referred inquiries to the Oakland city attorney’s office, which declined comment. Oakland police also said the investigation into Martin’s death is ongoing.
Leslie Martin had called 911 because she was worried about her son, Burris said in an interview. He had been acting strangely and she “thought that he needed some medical attention,” he said.
Burris said Doug Martin took off after she called. Police officers responding to Leslie Martin’s call and separate reports of a break-in found Doug Martin hiding in a neighbor’s home.
Oakland police released several minutes of officers’ body camera footage and 911 calls in March. In the video, officers called Martin by name.
The officers and Martin struggle briefly and then he is physically restrained face down. There are several minutes not shown in the released video.
The complaint alleges that Martin was later turned onto his side and was unresponsive and says officers initially thought he was “sleeping or pretending to be.” They only requested medical assistance after he remained unresponsive, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit also accuses Falck USA, Inc. and its subsidiary Falck Northern California Corp.’s paramedics of taking more than 15 minutes to respond to the call and not promptly providing medical care after they arrived. Messages seeking comment were left Thursday for Falck.
The Alameda County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy report is awaiting test results after extra testing was requested by Martin’s family. Burris said he does not know what additional testing is holding up the report.
Burris said he had a second autopsy conducted, and the pathologist determined tentatively that the cause of death was restraint asphyxiation.
In addition to the autopsy, Burris said Martin’s brain was immediately sent to be examined posthumously for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which can affect regions of the brain involved with regulating behavior and emotions and is linked to contact sports such as football. The family also is awaiting those results.
“They’re concerned enough about it that they immediately sent the brain to Boston for examination,” Burris said, though he added the degenerative brain disease might account for his behavior but not how he died that night. Research is done at the Boston University CTE Center.
Martin was the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft after a standout career at Boise State. He rushed for 1,454 yards, scored 11 touchdowns as a rookie and was selected to the Pro Bowl. He also was named first-team All-Pro and made the Pro Bowl again in 2015.
Martin played six seasons with the Buccaneers and one season with the Raiders.