The parents of former NFL running back Doug Martin have initiated a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging their son died after being restrained face down by Oakland, California, police officers during a mental health crisis. The legal action, filed in federal court, targets the City of Oakland, several individual police officers, and the ambulance service provider Falck USA, claiming their actions collectively led to Martin's death at the age of 36.
According to the complaint lodged by Leslie and Douglas Martin, their son was experiencing a mental health crisis in October when police officers located him inside a neighbour's residence following reports of a break-in. The lawsuit details that during a brief struggle, officers allegedly restrained the former All-Pro player face down, with 'one or more officers' applying pressure to his back. This restraint is cited in the legal documents as a 'substantial factor' contributing to his death.
The complaint further states that officers only rolled Martin onto his side after he became unresponsive, initially believing he was 'sleeping or pretending to be'. It is alleged that emergency medical assistance was not requested until his unresponsiveness persisted. The lawsuit also extends its accusations to Falck USA Inc. and its subsidiary, Falck Northern California Corp., claiming they took over 15 minutes to respond and then failed to provide immediate medical treatment upon their arrival.
Representatives for Falck USA have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the allegations. Oakland police previously stated that officers encountered Martin while responding to a reported burglary and that a 'brief struggle' occurred during their attempt to detain him before he became unresponsive. The department has released limited additional details, and on Thursday, declined to comment on the pending litigation, referring enquiries to the Oakland City Attorney's Office, which also declined to comment. Police confirmed that the investigation into Martin's death remains ongoing.
The Alameda County Coroner's Office is reportedly still awaiting final autopsy results, as Martin's family has requested additional testing. Martin, an Oakland native who later resided in Stockton, was a prominent NFL figure, selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2012 NFL Draft. He earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honours as a rookie, and was later named one of the Buccaneers' 50 greatest players. His death adds to a broader national discussion in the US regarding the use of force by police, particularly in incidents that are not intended to be lethal but result in fatalities.