Former NFL player Dana Stubblefield remains in state prison despite a court of appeal vacating his conviction for rape due to evidence of racial bias. Judge Hector Ramon declined to grant bail, citing the ongoing jurisdiction of the appellate court. Stubblefield's attorneys argue that he should be released pending a decision on whether prosecutors will re-file charges.
A Santa Clara County judge declined to grant bail for former San Francisco 49ers star Dana Stubblefield , whose conviction was vacated by the Sixth District Court of Appeal in December. Judge Hector Ramon stated he cannot release Stubblefield because the case remains under the appellate court 's jurisdiction, pending the issuance of a remittitur, a technical ruling that returns jurisdiction to the lower court. This remittitur is not expected until next month.
Stubblefield's attorneys have argued that the state has no grounds to keep him incarcerated and he should be released on bail while prosecutors decide whether to re-file charges. They claim Ramon has the authority to transfer Stubblefield from Corcoran State Prison to county jail and grant his release. However, Ramon maintained his stance, stating that the local court cannot reacquire jurisdiction until the Court of Appeal issues the remittitur. Deputy District Attorney Tim McInerney supported Ramon's position, stating the office supports Stubblefield remaining in custody. Stubblefield's attorneys, Ken Rosenfeld, Allen Sawyer, and Joe Doyle, argued that Ramon should prioritize Stubblefield's liberty, freedom, and due process. They contend that Stubblefield is being unjustly denied freedom due to adherence to protocol that wasn't designed for his unique situation following the conviction reversal. His attorneys assert that since his conviction has been vacated, he is legally innocent and should be released. Outside the courthouse, Sawyer stated that the hearing was primarily about the speed of Stubblefield's release, and Rosenfeld reiterated that Stubblefield is being unfairly held in prison because of a procedural delay, despite being legally innocent.The appellate court vacated Stubblefield's conviction, finding that the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office violated the Racial Justice Act during the trial. The court determined that a prosecutor's suggestion to jurors that police didn't search Stubblefield's home for a gun because he was a famous Black man directly influenced the jury's consideration of evidence and racially impacted the trial. Stubblefield had been convicted of using a gun to threaten and rape a woman who came to his home for a babysitting interview in 2015. Stubblefield and his defense team always maintained that he engaged in a paid sexual encounter with his accuser, Jane Doe, and initially lied to cover it up but never assaulted her. They argue that Doe returned to his home to collect money for the sexual encounter, contradicting her account of being assaulted. The Racial Justice Act, enacted in 2021, prohibits convictions based on race, ethnicity, or national origin and allows for the reversal of convictions found to have been influenced by systemic bias. This ruling marked the first major case reversal in Santa Clara County under the law
Dana Stubblefield Racial Justice Act Appellate Court Bail Conviction Vacatur Rape San Francisco 49Ers
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