Doug Martin’s parents are suing Oakland over the former NFL star’s in-custody death

The family of former NFL running back Doug Martin is suing the city of Oakland, the police department and the ambulance company, saying their actions contributed to the circumstances of his death.

In this case, the parents of the late NFL star say that the police were involved in the death of the 36-year-old man and they say that the emergency services failed to respond quickly to get medical help. Martin’s parents, Leslie and Douglas, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

The suit says the plaintiffs believe Martin died of obstructive asphyxia, which they say was “caused by the Oakland police and the failure of FALCK NORCAL paramedics to provide timely medical attention.” After that, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

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Leslie called 911 in response to her son’s mental illness on Oct. 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 suit.

According to the lawsuit, Leslie called 911 on Oct. 18 after her son started having a mental breakdown. Martin then left the house and hid in a neighbor’s house. Oakland police later found him in the basement. In addition, the lawsuit alleges that law enforcement officers physically restrained Martin and placed him “face down while one or more officers applied pressure to his back.” When officers turned Martin on his side, he did not respond, at which point the suit says officers thought he was “asleep or pretending to be.”

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The lawsuit also states that law enforcement officers restrained Martin, placed him “face down while one or more officers applied pressure to his back,” and later found him unresponsive after turning him away. Police believed Martin was “sleeping or pretending to be asleep,” the suit continues. It also alleges that at least one officer called for medical attention when Martin was unresponsive.

The Martin family says the response wasn’t fast enough, saying Falck Northern California paramedics arrived 15 minutes after the call for help, according to each suit. “When they arrived,” the suit says, “they did not provide immediate medical attention.”

Oakland Raiders running back Doug Martin tackles Los Angeles Chargers safety Jahleel Addae during an NFL game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, Nov. 11, 2018. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

“They want to know what happened,” John Burris, an attorney representing the family, told The Athletic. “Here is a situation where the mother is asking for help. She is out of breath, asking for help.”

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“If you ask for help and the police come, it’s not a death warrant. You don’t expect someone to die.” Burris continued. He added that a private pathologist, his name, told Martin’s parents that he 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 expenses, loss of family support and relationships, among many 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 whether he developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease that can be diagnosed after death. While the pathologist told Burris that the CTE findings were “not really conclusive as far as cause of death is concerned,” Burris said the family wanted a clearer picture of Martin’s brain health.

An Oakland police car 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 criminal proceedings. Fox News Digital was referred to the Oakland city attorney’s office, which also did not comment on the case. Representatives for Falck Northern California were not immediately available for comment.

Martin, an Oakland native, finished his NFL career with the then-Oakland Raiders in 2018. Prior to 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 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.

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