Parents of Former NFL Player Doug Martin Allege Excessive Police Force Led to His Wrongful Death

Key Points:

• The parents of former NFL running back Doug Martin have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Oakland, several police officers, and an ambulance company, alleging excessive force and delayed medical care led to his death during a mental health crisis in October.
• The lawsuit claims Oakland police restrained Martin face down for several minutes, which was a substantial factor in his death, and paramedics took over 15 minutes to respond and failed to provide prompt medical care.
• Martin, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star and Oakland native, was found unresponsive after a brief struggle with police, who initially thought he was sleeping or pretending to be unresponsive.
• An independent autopsy suggests restraint asphyxiation as the tentative cause of death, while Martin's brain is being examined for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition linked to contact sports like football.
• Oakland Police and city officials have declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, and the Alameda County Coroner's report is pending additional test results requested by Martin's family.