In a stunning turn of events, former NFL defensive standout Dana Stubblefield was denied bail on Friday and will remain imprisoned for the time being, despite his 2020 rape conviction being recently vacated. The one-time Super Bowl champion with the San Francisco 49ers has already served nearly four years of a 15-years-to-life sentence, but his bid for freedom hit a snag in a San Jose courtroom.
Judge Hector Ramon declined to rule on bail or release Stubblefield, 52, asserting that the case still falls under the jurisdiction of an appeals court. In December, the Sixth District Court of Appeal overturned Stubblefield’s conviction after finding that racial bias had tainted the proceedings against him.
As he sits here, everything has been vacated, he has been convicted of nothing, and a legally innocent man is sitting in prison because we’re waiting on a time clock.
Ken Rosenfeld, Stubblefield’s attorney
Stubblefield’s Troubled Legal Journey
Stubblefield’s case dates back to 2015, when he was accused of luring a developmentally disabled woman to his home under the guise of a babysitting job and raping her. He vehemently denied the charges, claiming that the encounter was consensual and the woman was paid for sex.
However, a jury found him guilty in 2020 and he was handed a lengthy prison term. His attorneys immediately vowed to appeal, arguing that prosecutorial misconduct and racial discrimination irrevocably harmed Stubblefield’s right to a fair trial.
Conviction Vacated, But Freedom Delayed
To the surprise of many, Stubblefield prevailed upon appeal in December 2024, with the higher court ruling that “racially discriminatory language” by prosecutors violated California’s Racial Justice Act. That law, passed in 2020 during nationwide unrest over police brutality and systemic racism, prohibits seeking convictions or imposing sentences on the basis of race.
With his conviction vacated, Stubblefield’s lawyers quickly moved for his release pending any further proceedings. They argue that since the guilty finding was overturned, he should be treated as an innocent man and freed on bail like he was before trial.
But prosecutors are opposing his release, and Judge Ramon indicated he cannot act on bail or freedom until the Court of Appeal issues a remittitur returning full jurisdiction to his courtroom. That procedural step may not occur until February.
What’s Next for Stubblefield?
Dana Stubblefield’s rollercoaster ride through the criminal justice system appears far from over. While his rape conviction has been erased for now, prosecutors could potentially seek to retry him after the case formally returns to the lower court’s purview.
- If retried and convicted again, he would likely face a lengthy prison sentence
- If the DA declines to retry the case, the charges would be dismissed and he would go free
- There is also the possibility of a plea deal to reduced charges to resolve the matter
For the time being, the man who once dominated opposing offenses as a 49er and Washington defensive tackle in the 1990s and early 2000s remains in the same legal limbo he has been in for over half a decade, since the shocking allegations first surfaced.
His travails have evolved into a closely-watched case with major implications around the issues of racial bias, prosecutorial conduct, and celebrity justice. For Stubblefield, his family, his accuser, and the California legal system, the waiting game continues to see how this saga will end.
