Lawsuit claims Oakland police suffocated ex-NFL player Doug Martin to death

The parents of former Raiders running back Doug Martin say that the excessive force Oakland police officers used on their son during a mental health crisis led to his death in October, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday.

Read more Rafael Devers homers twice and drives in 4 as Giants blank Braves 5-0 behind Logan Webb

Martin died in police custody on Oct. 18. In a statement released two days later, the Oakland Police Department said the 36-year-old was involved in an alleged break-in near the Oakland Zoo. When officers tried to detain him, a “brief struggle occurred,” and soon after, Martin “became unresponsive” while in police custody. The Oakland Police Department has not yet provided complete details on the arrest or death, and it announced in December that it would not release audio or video footage of the arrest, citing, among other things, “an ongoing investigation.”

A lawsuit filed by Douglas and Leslie Martin in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, however, alleges many additional details from the fall encounter with police.

According to the suit, Martin fled to a nearby neighbor’s home during what his family described in the immediate aftermath as a mental health crisis, where police found him in the basement. The suit acknowledges a struggle but alleges that officers placed Martin face down on the ground with at least one officer on his back. When Martin appeared to be unconscious, the lawsuit alleges, police thought he was sleeping or pretending to be asleep. One officer eventually called to get Martin some medical attention, but paramedics didn’t arrive until more than 15 minutes after the call, per the family suit, adding that Martin allegedly did not immediately receive care.

The suit ultimately blames Martin’s death on “restraint asphyxia caused by Oakland police officers,” as well as “paramedics’ failure to provide timely medical care.”

Read more 6 boats caught attempting to launch illegally onto Lake Tahoe

The suit lists the city of Oakland, four officers and one sergeant from Oakland PD, as well as the company that employed the paramedics at the scene, Falck USA Inc., and its subsidiary Falck Northern California Corp. as defendants. The wrongful death suit’s claims include the violation of Martin’s constitutional and civil rights; the intentional infliction of emotional distress; assault; failing to provide timely medical care; and interference of constitutional rights by way of threats, intimidation or coercion.

Martin played for the Raiders in 2018, his last season on an NFL roster, where he racked up 839 yards from scrimmage (723 rushing, 116 receiving) and scored four touchdowns. He played in the NFL for seven seasons, most of them with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he was an All-Pro running back in 2015. At the time of his death, all three of his former teams, including Boise State, released statements honoring the 36-year-old.