OAKLAND, Calif. — The family of former NFL running back Doug Martin has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Oakland, several Oakland police officers and a private ambulance provider, alleging Martin died after officers restrained him face down during a mental health crisis and that delayed medical treatment contributed to his death. The lawsuit seeks damages while also raising broader questions about police restraint tactics and emergency medical response.
The complaint, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by civil rights attorney John Burris and attorneys Benjamin Nisenbaum and James Cook, alleges Oakland police officers used excessive force while detaining Martin on Oct. 18, 2025, and that paramedics failed to provide timely medical care after he became unresponsive. The suit names the City of Oakland, five Oakland police officers, Falck USA Inc. and Falck Northern California Corp. as defendants.
According to the lawsuit, Martin’s mother, Leslie Martin, initially sought medical assistance because her son was experiencing what the complaint describes as a mental health crisis. The complaint states Martin fled his home and hid in the basement of a nearby residence before Oakland police located him.
The complaint alleges officers physically restrained Martin after “a brief struggle,” placing him face down while “one or more officers pressed on his back.” It further alleges officers eventually rolled Martin onto his side and discovered he was unresponsive, initially believing “he was sleeping or pretending to be sleep.”
The lawsuit alleges Martin did not receive prompt medical care after officers realized he was unconscious.
According to the complaint, “Falck paramedics arrived over 15 minutes after the call for service and, and when they arrived, did not promptly provide medical care.”
The plaintiffs further allege, “Decedent Martin died from restraint asphyxia caused by Oakland police officers and the FALCK NORCAL paramedics’ failure to provide timely medical care.”
The lawsuit asserts claims under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, alleging violations of Martin’s Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable seizure and excessive force, Fourteenth Amendment claims for denial of medical care and loss of familial association, as well as claims under California’s Bane Act, wrongful death, assault and battery, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The complaint alleges officers’ conduct deprived Martin of “the right to be free from excessive and unreasonable force during a seizure, including the use of unlawful deadly force.”
It also alleges officers and emergency medical personnel failed to respond appropriately after Martin became unconscious.
According to the complaint, “Defendants knew or should have known that failure to provide timely medical treatment to Decedent could result in further significant injury or the unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain, but disregarded that serious medical need, contributing to decedent Martin’s death.”
The lawsuit further alleges, “Defendants knew or had reason to know that Decedent needed medical treatment. Defendant officers used unreasonable force, while Defendants FALCK NORCAL unreasonably did not promptly respond to the call for service and, upon arrival, did not provide timely paramedic services care. Defendants’ conduct was a substantial factor in Mr. Martin’s death.”
In announcing the filing of the lawsuit, Burris said the family’s principal concern extends beyond financial compensation.
“Although the lawsuit seeks monetary damages, Burris said the family’s main priority is to understand what happened to their son.”
Burris said, “The family wants to know what happened to their son.”
Martin’s mother also spoke publicly about her son’s condition before his death.
According to the press release announcing the lawsuit, Leslie Martin said her son “had been experiencing mental and emotional difficulties but was physically healthy, making the circumstances of his death difficult to comprehend.”
The complaint itself alleges Martin’s death resulted from the combined actions of police officers and emergency medical responders.
According to the filing, “The deliberate indifference of the defendant officers and Falck staff to decedent Martin’s medical needs for emergency medical care shocks the conscience. The Defendants’ conduct caused decedent Martin’s death and thereby deprived Plaintiffs of their right to a familial relationship with decedent Martin.”
The lawsuit also alleges Oakland maintained customs, policies or practices that contributed to the constitutional violations.
According to the complaint, “The acts and omissions of all Defendants as set forth herein were at all material times pursuant to the actual customs, policies, practices, and procedures of Defendant CITY.”
The complaint additionally alleges supervisors failed to properly train, supervise and discipline officers, and seeks to hold the city vicariously liable under California law for the conduct of its employees.
Martin was one of the NFL’s premier running backs during the early part of the previous decade. Born in Oakland and raised in Stockton, he played college football at Boise State before being selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He earned two Pro Bowl selections and later concluded his NFL career with the then-Oakland Raiders.
Burris said he retained an independent forensic pathologist to conduct a second autopsy and is awaiting the official Alameda County autopsy report.
According to the press release, Burris also said Martin’s brain has been sent to a Boston clinic for examination to determine whether he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE, a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head trauma experienced by many football players.
According to the press release, Burris said his consulting pathologist advised that even if Martin is ultimately found to have had CTE, it would not have caused his death.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages against the individual defendants, attorney fees, costs and other relief.
The complaint also seeks damages for wrongful death, medical expenses, funeral costs, loss of companionship, emotional distress, constitutional violations and Martin’s conscious pain and suffering before his death.
The defendants have not yet filed responses to the complaint, and the allegations remain unproven. The case will proceed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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Categories: Breaking News Everyday Injustice Tags: city of Oakland Civil Rights Lawsuit Doug Martin John Burris Oakland police department Oakland police officers Police Accountability Wrongful Death