The parents of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin say excessive force by police and delayed medical care led to his death last year, according to a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Oakland, several police officers and an ambulance company.
In the lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court, Leslie and Douglas Martin say their son was experiencing a mental health crisis in October when responding Oakland police officers held him "face down while one or more officers pressed on his back.” The lawsuit alleges this restraint was a “substantial factor” in causing his death.
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Martin, 36, was selected last August as one of the top 50 players in Bucs history as part of the team’s 50th anniversary celebration. He was originally from Oakland and lived in nearby Stockton, California, where he played high school football.
Over a decade, more than 1,000 people have died across the country after police subdued them through means not intended to be lethal, such as physical holds, tasers and body blows, an investigation led by The Associated Press found. That includes George Floyd, whose death while being restrained by a Minneaplis police officer in 2020 led to a national reckoning over the use of force.
Oakland police said in a statement at the time of Martin's death that he was involved in a break-in and that a “brief struggle” happened as police were trying to detain him and he became unresponsive. The department did not release any other details.
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The Oakland Police Department said Thursday it does not comment on pending litigation and referred inquiries to the Oakland city attorney's office, which declined comment. Oakland police also said the investigation into Martin's death is ongoing.
After Leslie Martin called paramedics for help, the lawsuit says, responding police officers found Doug Martin hiding in a neighbor’s home and physically restrained him face down after a brief struggle. The complaint alleges he was later turned onto his side and was unresponsive and officers initially thought he was “sleeping or pretending to be.” They only requested medical assistance after he remained unresponsive, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit also accuses Falck USA Inc. and its subsidiary Falck Northern California Corp.'s paramedics of taking more than 15 minutes to respond to the call and not promptly providing medical care after they arrived. Messages seeking comment were left Thursday for Falck.
The Alameda County Coroner’s Office said it is still awaiting autopsy results after extra testing was requested by Martin's family. Messages seeking comment were left with the family's attorney.
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Martin was the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft by Tampa Bay after a standout career at Boise State. He rushed for 1,454 yards and scored 11 touchdowns as a rookie and was selected to the Pro Bowl. He also was named first-team All-Pro and made the Pro Bowl again in 2015.
The Bucs released Martin after the 2017 season and he signed to play for his hometown Oakland Raiders. He was released from injured reserve with an injury settlement before the 2019 season.
