Former San Francisco 49er Dana Stubblefield, whose 2020 rape conviction was vacated last year, is currently in California state prison as a judge declined to rule on bail on Friday. The Superior Court Judge Hector Ramon stated that he couldn't grant bail or release Stubblefield due to the case still being under the jurisdiction of an appeals court.
The Sixth District Court of Appeal overturned Stubblefield's conviction in December 2024, citing racial bias in his trial. However, the jurisdiction is expected to return to the lower court next month with the issuance of the remittitur.
Stubblefield's attorneys have requested his release, arguing that there are no grounds to keep him incarcerated. They proposed transferring him from California State Prison, Corcoran, where he has served nearly four years of a 15-year sentence, to county jail and then granting bail.
During the court proceedings, Ramon emphasized that jurisdiction remains with the appeals court until the remittitur is issued. The Deputy District Attorney's office supports Stubblefield's continued custody.
Stubblefield's attorneys expressed opposition to the decision, highlighting that he has been convicted of nothing following the vacating of his conviction. They emphasized that he is legally innocent and should not be imprisoned while awaiting legal processes.
In 2020, Stubblefield was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after being convicted of raping a woman he had invited to his home in 2015 under the guise of a babysitting job. The defense argued that no rape occurred and that the encounter was consensual.
The Sixth Court of Appeal found that prosecutors violated the California Racial Justice Act of 2020 by using racially discriminatory language during the trial, leading to the overturning of Stubblefield's conviction.
Stubblefield, known for his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers and Washington, began his professional football journey in 1993. He was named the league's defensive rookie of the year and later earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1997.
