The family of former NFL running back Doug Martin has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Oakland, the Oakland Police Department and an ambulance provider, alleging officers improperly restrained the two-time Pro Bowler and that medical care was delayed.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, June 23, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by Martin's parents, Leslie and Douglas Martin, claims their son died from restraint asphyxia after officers pinned him to the ground during a mental health crisis. It also alleges that Falck Northern California paramedics delayed providing care after police requested medical assistance.
According to the complaint, which was obtained by The Athletic, Martin fled his family's home during the early morning hours of October 18, 2025, after experiencing what relatives described as a mental health emergency. The lawsuit says he entered a neighbor's home two doors away, where Oakland police located him in the basement.
The family alleges officers restrained Martin face-down while "one or more officers pressed on his back." By the time officers rolled him onto his side, the suit claims he was unresponsive. It further alleges officers initially believed he was "sleeping or pretending to be asleep" before requesting emergency medical assistance.
Attorney John Burris, who represents Martin's family, said the lawsuit is about understanding why a call for help ended in tragedy.
"They just want to know what happened," Burris told The Athletic. "Here's a situation where the mother was calling for help. He was emotionally out of it, and she was calling for help."
He added, "When you call for help, and the police come, it's not a death warrant. You don't expect the person to die."
The lawsuit marks the latest development in a case that has drawn increasing scrutiny over the past several months. Shortly after Martin's death, Oakland police said officers responded to a reported break-in around 4:15 a.m. and encountered the former NFL player after he entered a neighboring home. Police have maintained that Martin experienced a "medical emergency" following what they described as a "brief struggle" during the arrest before becoming unresponsive.
Earlier this year, the department released body camera and surveillance footage showing Martin breaking through a fence, entering a backyard, and smashing a window before officers took him into custody. In the recordings, officers can be heard telling him, "Hey, we're going to help you," and repeatedly urging him to "relax" as they attempted to restrain him. Moments later, Martin stopped responding, and paramedics were called.
Burris said an independent pathologist retained by the family believes Martin may have died from restraint asphyxia, though the attorney said the expert's identity will be disclosed later in the litigation. Martin's official cause of death, however, has not yet been released. Burris also said the family still has not received the autopsy or toxicology reports from the Alameda County Coroner's Office, despite multiple requests.
"I get it, it takes time," Burris said. "I made a request for it, I expected to receive it, but I haven't. The lawsuit had to go forward in order for me to make sure I get the material I need in a timely way."
The Oakland Police Department declined to comment on the pending litigation and referred questions to the Oakland City Attorney's Office, which also declined comment. Falck Northern California did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The family has also sent Martin's brain to the Boston University CTE Center for posthumous testing for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Burris said determining whether Martin had CTE would not establish his cause of death but could provide answers about his neurological condition before the incident.
Martin, a first-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2012 NFL Draft, played seven NFL seasons between Tampa Bay and the then-Oakland Raiders. He rushed for 5,356 yards, scored 30 touchdowns, earned two Pro Bowl selections, and was named a first-team All-Pro during his standout 2015 campaign.
