Jan 6, 2025 Story by: Editor
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California appeals court has overturned the conviction of former San Francisco 49er Dana Stubblefield, citing racially discriminatory remarks made by prosecutors during the trial.
The retired football star was sentenced in October 2020 to 15 years to life in prison after being convicted of assaulting a developmentally disabled woman in 2015. Prosecutors alleged he had lured her to his home under the pretense of a babysitting job.
On Wednesday, the Sixth Court of Appeals ruled that the prosecution violated the California Racial Justice Act of 2020, a law enacted during nationwide protests against racial injustice following George Floyd’s killing. The legislation prohibits convictions or sentences influenced by racial bias.
Before this law, challenging a conviction based on racial discrimination required proving “purposeful discrimination,” a legal hurdle that was often hard to clear. The appeals court found that the prosecution’s use of “racially discriminatory language” necessitated the overturning of Stubblefield’s conviction.
“This case was infected with tremendous error from the minute we started the trial,” said Kenneth Rosenfeld, Stubblefield’s lead attorney.
In April 2015, Stubblefield contacted the 31-year-old woman through a babysitting website and arranged an interview, according to prosecutors. A report from the Morgan Hill Police Department stated that the interview lasted approximately 20 minutes. Later, Stubblefield reportedly sent the woman a text offering payment for her time, prompting her to return to his house.
The woman told police that Stubblefield had assaulted her and then given her $80 before letting her leave. DNA evidence linked Stubblefield to the encounter, the report added.
During the trial, prosecutors noted that law enforcement had not searched Stubblefield’s home or presented a firearm as evidence. They argued that this decision stemmed from concerns about his celebrity status as a Black man, which they said could “open up a storm of controversy,” according to the appellate court’s decision.
The appeals court concluded that the prosecution’s references to Stubblefield’s race suggested law enforcement’s actions were influenced by it, implying that the case might have been handled differently if he were not Black.
Defense attorneys maintained there was no assault, stating that the encounter was consensual and that Stubblefield provided payment afterward.
“The trial had a biased judge who didn’t allow the defense to present key evidence, such as the fact that she was a sex worker,” Rosenfeld said, describing the incident as a “transactional occasion” between Stubblefield and the woman.
Stubblefield remains in custody pending a hearing next week, during which his attorneys will seek his release. Prosecutors are considering their options, which include appealing the decision to the state’s Supreme Court or refiling charges.
The Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office stated it was “studying the opinion.”
Stubblefield’s NFL career began in 1993 when he joined the San Francisco 49ers and was named the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. He earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1997 before playing for Washington. He later returned to the Bay Area to finish his career with the 49ers in 2000-01 and the Raiders in 2003. Source: AP News
