Doug Martin Death Lawsuit: Family Alleges Restraint Asphyxiation at Age 36

A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of former NFL All-Pro Doug Martin alleges Oakland police held him face down during a mental health crisis.

Leslie and Douglas Martin filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday, alleging that excessive force and a 15-minute medical delay resulted in the Doug Martin death at age 36. The complaint names the city of Oakland, California, specific police officers, and Falck USA, Inc. as defendants. According to the filing, Oakland police officers held the former first-team All-Pro running back face down while pressing on his back during an October mental health crisis. Attorney John Burris stated that a private pathologist tentatively identified the cause of death as restraint asphyxiation after a second autopsy was performed.

Doug Martin was the 31st overall selection in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft following a career at Boise State. During his rookie season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he recorded 1,454 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, earning a Pro Bowl selection. In 2015, he was named a first-team All-Pro and secured a second Pro Bowl nod. Over a professional career spanning seven years, he played six seasons for the Buccaneers and one final season with the Raiders. In August, the Buccaneers honored him as one of the top 50 players in franchise history for their 50th anniversary celebration.

Details of the October Incident and Police Response

The events leading to the Doug Martin death began when Leslie Martin contacted 911 because her son was acting strangely and required medical attention. The former running back fled the scene before officers arrived. Responding to the 911 call and reports of a break-in, police located Martin hiding in a neighbor’s residence. Body camera footage released in March shows officers calling Martin by name before a brief struggle ensued. The video depicts Martin being physically restrained in a prone position, though several minutes of the encounter were omitted from the public release.

Police statements released at the time of the incident described a struggle during a detention attempt, after which Martin became unresponsive. The lawsuit alleges that despite Martin being motionless, officers initially believed he was "sleeping or pretending to be" and failed to request immediate medical assistance. The Alameda County Coroner’s Office has not yet finalized the official autopsy report, citing pending results from extra testing requested by the family. Burris noted that the litigation serves as a mechanism to uncover specific details that the Oakland Police Department has not disclosed.

Allegations Against Paramedics and Medical Delays

The legal complaint specifically targets Falck Northern California Corp., alleging that paramedics took more than 15 minutes to respond to the scene. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that once medical personnel arrived, they failed to provide prompt care to the unresponsive athlete. While the Oakland Police Department confirmed an ongoing investigation, the city attorney’s office and Falck representatives have declined to comment on the pending litigation. This case follows an Associated Press investigation finding that over 1,000 people have died in the U.S. over the last decade following non-lethal subdual methods like physical holds.

CTE Examination and Pathological Testing

In addition to the second autopsy, Martin’s brain was transported to the Boston University CTE Center for posthumous examination. The family is seeking to determine if chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease linked to contact sports, influenced the behavior Martin exhibited prior to his death. While Burris acknowledged that CTE might explain the mental health crisis, he emphasized that the disease does not account for the physical cause of death that night. The results from the Boston-based researchers are currently pending.

Martin, originally from Oakland, attended high school in Stockton before his collegiate success at Boise State. His professional statistics include a standout 2015 season where he helped lead the Buccaneers' offense. The lawsuit contends that the restraint used by officers was a "substantial factor" in his passing. As the investigation continues, the family maintains that the lack of urgency in medical intervention directly contributed to the fatal outcome.