Ex-49ers star Dana Stubblefield gets rape conviction overturned after 4 years in jail: Report

Former San Francisco 49ers star Dana Stubblefield's rape conviction was overturned Wednesday after four years in prison. He was sentenced to 15 years in October 2020 for allegedly raping a developmentally disabled woman.

According to the New York Post, a California appeals court overturned the conviction, citing violations of the California Racial Justice Act of 2020. Prosecutors in the case reportedly made racially discriminatory statements during the trial, prompting the court's decision.

Speaking about the case, Stubblefield's lead attorney, Kenneth Rosenfeld, said:

“The trial had a biased judge who didn’t allow the evidence from the defense, the fact that she was a sex worker, to be heard in front of a jury."

Although the conviction was overturned, Stubblefield will remain in custody until his next hearing. During that hearing, his attorneys are expected to ask the court for his release.

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All about Dana Stubblefield’s case

Dana Stubblefield was reportedly found guilty of raping a woman after allegedly luring her to his home with a promise to provide her babysitting job in 2015. Stubblefield connected with the woman through a babysitting website.

He conducted a brief interview with her, which lasted around 20 minutes, according to the Morgan Hill Police Department. Later, the woman allegedly received a text message from Stubblefield. When she returned to his home, he allegedly raped her at gunpoint.

He reportedly later gave her $80 before asking her to leave. The woman went straight to Morgan Hill Police Department and filed a complaint against Stubblefield.

After nine months of trial, the Santa Clara District Attorney's office convicted him of the rape case and charged him with oral copulation and false imprisonment in October 2020. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail.

Speaking of the case, District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in 2020 (via the New York Post):

"This was a triumph of resilience. The victim has struggled her whole life with learning disabilities and challenges to be self-sufficient. If we are not fighting for her, then who are we fighting for? It has been a long road for this remarkable woman and we are thankful to the jury for providing her some closure and, for our community, justice after an unconscionable and violent crime.”

However, Stubblefield’s defense attorneys claimed the encounter was consensual and that the woman had agreed to sex in exchange for money. Now, four years later, the appeals court has overturned the rape conviction against the former NFL player.