The parents of former NFL running back Doug Martin say excessive force by police and delayed medical care led to their son’s death last year, according to a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Oakland, its police department and an ambulance company.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges the 36-year-old died as a result of restraint asphyxia by Oakland police as well as the delayed response by FALCK NORCAL paramedics after officers called for medical assistance.
Martin’s parents, Leslie and Douglas, said their son was having a mental health crisis on Oct. 18. Leslie called paramedics with Martin fleeing to a neighbor’s house to hide. An Oakland police officer found him in the basement, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims police restrained Martin facedown while one or more officers pressed on his back. Officers then allegedly turned Martin on his side, and he was unresponsive. The lawsuit alleges officers believed he was “sleeping or was pretending to be” until an officer requested medical assistance after Martin remained unconscious.
The paramedics arrived more than 15 minutes after the call was placed and medical attention wasn’t promptly given to Martin, according to the lawsuit.
Martin was born in Oakland and played his final NFL season as a member of the Raiders. He was raised in Stockton, where he played high school football. Martin made first-team All-Mountain West Conference at Boise State before he was drafted by the Buccaneers in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Martin played seven seasons in the NFL, rushing for 5,536 yards and 30 touchdowns primarily in Tampa Bay. In 2015, the running back was a first-team All-Pro selection after rushing for the second-most yards (1,402) that season.
