The family of former NFL player Doug Martin has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Oakland Police Department, alleging that excessive force and delayed medical care led to the 36-year-old's death last October.
In the lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court, parents Leslie and Douglas Martin claim that police held their son face down, with officers pressing on his back, during an incident where he was experiencing a mental health crisis. They assert this restraint was a substantial factor in his death, as was a delayed response from paramedics.
The incident began when Leslie Martin called 911 out of concern for her son's unusual behavior. Martin fled before police arrived, and was later found by an officer in the basement of a neighbor's home after separate reports of a break-in.
The lawsuit states that after Martin was restrained face down, officers pressed on his back before turning him over. At this point, Martin was unresponsive, though the suit alleges officers believed he was pretending to be asleep. Medical assistance was eventually requested, and paramedics arrived over 15 minutes after the initial call, with medical attention reportedly not being immediately administered.
In March, the Oakland Police Department released bodycam footage and 911 call recordings related to the incident. The footage showed Martin breaking through a fence at a residence in Oakland Hills, yelling as police approached, and resisting arrest. He was eventually arrested and handcuffed inside a home gym.
According to reports, two months prior to this incident, Martin experienced a serious mental health episode where he reportedly jumped out of a second-story window at a rehabilitation center. He had checked into the center after testing positive for cocaine and methamphetamine upon arrival, and was also found to be in possession of fentanyl and a hunting knife. During this earlier episode, he was described as extremely paranoid, and a scuffle ensued when officers attempted to handcuff him. Officers involved in that incident reportedly found cocaine and a knife, as well as a $50 bill coated in white powder in a nearby fountain.