Overview
- The parents of former NFL running back Doug Martin filed a federal civil‑rights and wrongful‑death complaint on June 23, 2026, seeking records, damages and an independent review of his October 18, 2025 custodial death.
- The suit alleges Oakland officers restrained Martin face down and that one or more officers applied pressure to his back, a use of force the family says was a substantial factor in his later unresponsiveness and death.
- Family attorneys say an independent pathologist retained by the family tentatively concluded the likely cause of death was restraint asphyxia, while the Alameda County Coroner has not yet released its final autopsy or toxicology results.
- The complaint names Falck Northern California as a defendant and alleges its paramedics arrived more than 15 minutes after the call for service and did not promptly provide medical care upon arrival.
- The family sent Martin’s brain to Boston University’s CTE center for testing and says the lawsuit is intended to compel withheld footage and records and to secure answers for surviving relatives about what happened.