Former NFL defensive lineman Dana Stubblefield had his rape conviction overturned Wednesday after an appeals court found that prosecutors had made racially discriminatory statements during his trial.
The Sixth Court of Appeals in Los Angeles found that prosecutors violated the California Racial Justice Act of 2020, a measure passed during a summer of racial injustice over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.
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FILE – Former NFL football player Dana Stubblefield leaves federal court in San Francisco, Jan. 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
The law prohibited prosecutors from seeking a criminal conviction or imposing a sentence based on race.
Stubblefield, who is Black, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in October 2020 after being convicted of raping a developmentally disabled woman in 2015 whom prosecutors say he lured to his home with the promise of work as a nanny.
The appeals court said prosecutors had used “racially discriminatory language” that required them to overturn the former San Francisco 49ers star’s conviction.
Stubblefield’s lawyer, Kenneth Rosenfeld, said the case had been “infested with tremendous errors from the moment we began the trial.”
Prosecutors said Stubblefield contacted the woman in April 2015 through a babysitting website and arranged the interview. A police report said the interview lasted about 20 minutes and the woman said she received a text message from Stubblefield saying he wanted to pay her for her time and for her to return to the house.
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October 12, 2003; Cleveland, OH: Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield (94) during the game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium. (Matthew Emmons-USA Today Sports)
The police report said the woman had told authorities that Stubblefield had raped her at gunpoint, given her $80 and let her go and that the DNA evidence matched that of the former NFL player.
Defense attorneys have said there was no rape and their client has said the woman had consented to sex in exchange for the cash.
Prosecutors said during the trial that police had never searched Stubblefield’s home and had never presented a gun as evidence, saying it was because he was a famous black man and that would “open a storm of controversy,” according to the court’s decision. appeals. .
The court said that in determining that Stubblefield’s race had been a factor in authorities’ decision to forgo searching his home, prosecutors had implied that the home would have been searched and that a gun would not have been found if Stubblefield It wouldn’t have been black.
Stubblefield, a Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL Pro Bowler, spent 11 seasons in the league. He played for the 49ers, Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young celebrates with Dana Stubblefield (94) against the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX at Joe Robbie Stadium. (Matthew Emmons-USA Today Sports)
He remained in custody until a hearing later this week. Attorneys will ask a judge to approve a motion to release him. Prosecutors could ask the court to stay its decision and possibly send it to the state Supreme Court or refile charges.
