The parents of former NFL running back Doug Martin filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Oakland and several police officers on Tuesday, alleging excessive force and delayed medical care killed their 36-year-old son last October. The complaint, filed in federal court in Northern California, claims officers restrained Martin face down while pressing on his back, and that paramedics took too long to arrive and then failed to treat him promptly.
Leslie Martin called 911 during her son’s mental health crisis, the lawsuit says. She wanted medical help. But Martin left the house and hid in a neighbor’s home, where officers found him. According to the filing, after a struggle, cops held him face down with at least one officer applying pressure to his back. That restraint was a “substantial factor” in his death, the suit argues. When officers finally rolled him onto his side, Martin was unresponsive. They thought he was asleep or faking it. No one called for medical help right away.
The Family’s Attorney Says the Evidence Points to One Cause
John Burris, the attorney representing the Martin family, told reporters an independent pathologist’s initial review suggests Martin died from restraint asphyxiation. The official Alameda County Coroner’s Office hasn’t released a final report yet because additional testing the family requested is still pending. That testing includes sending Martin’s brain to Boston University’s CTE Center, where researchers are checking for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head hits in contact sports. Burris noted CTE findings won’t determine the immediate cause of death, but they could shed light on Martin’s overall brain health.
Oakland police have said Martin was involved in a reported residential break-in and became unresponsive after what they described as a “brief struggle.” The department won’t comment on the lawsuit due to pending litigation but confirmed the investigation into his death remains open.
Martin was a star long before any of this. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took him 31st overall in the 2012 NFL Draft after his standout career at Boise State. He rushed for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie, made first-team All-Pro, and went to two Pro Bowls. Over seven seasons — six with Tampa Bay and one final year with the Oakland Raiders in 2018 — he piled up more than 5,300 rushing yards. The Bucs named him one of the franchise’s top 50 players during their 50th anniversary celebration in 2025.
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