SAN JOSE, Calif. — Dana Stubblefield, a former player for the San Francisco 49ers, will continue to serve time in a California state prison following a recent bail hearing. A judge decided against granting bail on Friday due to the ongoing legal proceedings in an appeals court regarding his case.
The Superior Court Judge for Santa Clara County, Hector Ramon, stated that he is unable to release Stubblefield because the matter is still within the jurisdiction of the appeals court, as reported by local news sources. In December 2024, the Sixth District Court of Appeal annulled Stubblefield’s rape conviction and his subsequent sentence of 15 years to life imprisonment, citing that the trial was compromised by racial bias against the former football player. It is anticipated that a remittitur, a formal ruling reassigning the case to the lower court, will not be issued until next month.
Stubblefield’s legal team is pushing for his release, insisting that no valid reasons exist for his continued detention. In a recent motion submitted to Judge Ramon, the defense argued that the judge possesses the authority to transfer the former NFL star from California State Prison in Corcoran—where Stubblefield has now completed nearly four years of a 15-year sentence—to a county jail, and subsequently, grant his release on bail. They assert that this action would restore Stubblefield’s pretrial status, which they claim is currently his legitimate legal position.
In the court session on Friday, Judge Ramon reiterated that local jurisdiction would not be reinstated until the appeals court issues the necessary remittitur. The Deputy District Attorney’s office has conveyed its support for Stubblefield’s continued detention.
Stubblefield’s attorneys expressed their discontent with the ruling outside of the courthouse. Attorney Ken Rosenfeld emphasized that Stubblefield, at this point, has no convictions against him, stating, “A legally innocent man is sitting in prison because we’re waiting on a time clock.”
Originally sentenced in October 2020, Stubblefield was found guilty of raping a woman with developmental disabilities, who prosecutors claimed he enticed to his residence in 2015 under the pretense of offering a babysitting job. The defense contended that there was no assault and that the woman had consented to sexual acts in exchange for payment.
In their December 2024 ruling, the appeals court determined that prosecutors had breached the California Racial Justice Act of 2020, legislation enacted in response to national protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd. This law prohibits the use of race in the pursuit of criminal convictions or sentencing. The appellate court pointed out that “racially discriminatory language” was employed by prosecutors, which justified the decision to overturn Stubblefield’s conviction.
Dana Stubblefield began his NFL career with the 49ers in 1993, quickly making a name for himself as the league’s defensive rookie of the year. He garnered recognition as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1997 before moving to the Washington football team. Stubblefield made a return to the Bay Area to conclude his career, playing for the 49ers from 2000 to 2001 and later for the Raiders in 2003.
