The family of NFL running back Doug Martin is accusing the Oakland Police Department of using excessive force in the player’s arrest and has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city.
Police say that Martin died after suffering a “medical event” when they confronted him for home invasion on October 28 of last year.
Officers arrived at an Oakland Hills home on a robbery call to find Martin inside the home. The call also claimed that the possible robbery suspect was having a “medical event.”
When police arrived, Martin resisted arrest before being taken into custody. But soon the former NFL player became unresponsive and was quickly transported to a hospital for treatment. He later died in the hospital, his family said. He was 36.
Now, Martin’s parents are suing the city for killing the player. The family lawsuit alleges that Martin died as a result of restraint asphyxia by Oakland police. The suit also alleges that the delayed response to the scene by FLACK NORCAL paramedics contributed to the death, the New York Post reported.
The player’s parents, Leslie and Douglas Martin, were the ones who initially called the police and paramedics, reporting that their son was having some issues with his mental health and that he ran to a neighbor’s home. Police later found him in the basement of that home.
The filing claims that multiple officers pressed on Martin’s back when restraining him for arrest. Then, he was unresponsive when they turned him over. The suit adds that officers claimed he was either asleep or pretending to be unconscious during the arrest.
As for the paramedics, they did not arrive for another 15 minutes, and the family claims that medical attention was not promptly administered.
Police released some video of the arrest in March:
Martin, an Oakland native, played for two teams, but spent most of his career, six years, with the Buccaneers. In his final year, he was a member of the Raiders.
In all, he played in 84 games and amassed 5,356 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also appeared in two Pro Bowls in his career.
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