Overview
- The family filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit on June 23, 2026 that names the City of Oakland, five police officers and Falck Northern California.
- Attorneys say an independent pathologist concluded Martin likely died of 'restrained asphyxia' after officers pushed him to the floor and pressed on his back, a finding the suit uses to allege excessive force.
- The complaint alleges Falck paramedics arrived more than 15 minutes after the call and did not promptly provide care when they reached the scene.
- Plaintiffs say they have seen only snippets of police body-worn camera footage and are still awaiting the Alameda County coroner’s full autopsy and toxicology reports, which the family hopes the lawsuit will prompt to be released.
- Martin’s earlier struggles with mental health and substance use are part of the case record and the suit could sharpen scrutiny of how police and private EMS respond to mental-health crises and delays in pre-hospital care.