SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Former San Francisco 49er Dana Stubblefield, whose 2020 rape conviction was overturned late final 12 months, will stay in California state jail for now after a decide refused to situation a bail ruling on Friday.
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Hector Ramon stated he can’t grant bail or launch the previous soccer star as a result of the case stays below the jurisdiction of an appeals court docket, The Mercury News reports it.
The Sixth District Court of Appeals vacated Stubblefield’s sentence in December 2024 and overturned his 15 years to life jail sentence after discovering that racial bias had tainted the Black man’s trial. But the appeals court docket’s remittitur, a technical ruling that returns jurisdiction to the decrease court docket, will not be anticipated to be issued till subsequent month, the information outlet reported.
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Stubblefield’s attorneys have referred to as for his launch, saying there isn’t a longer any cause to maintain him jailed.
In a movement filed with Ramon earlier this week, attorneys stated the decide had the authority to switch the previous NFL participant from California State Prison to Corcoran — the place he served practically 4 years of a 15-year sentence – in county jail. , after which grant him launch on bail. This would successfully return Stubblefield to the identical standing he was in in the course of the pretrial, which they are saying is his present authorized place, the information outlet reported.
In court docket Friday, Ramon argued that jurisdiction is not going to be returned to the native court docket till the Court of Appeal points the remittitur. According to The Mercury News, Deputy District Attorney Tim McInerney’s workplace stated it supported Stubblefield remaining in custody.
Outside court docket, Stubblefield’s attorneys objected to the choice.
“As he sits right here, all the things has been let free, he hasn’t been convicted of something and a legally harmless man is sitting in jail as a result of we’re ready on a clock,” lawyer Ken Rosenfeld stated.
The retired footballer was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in October 2020 after he was convicted of raping a lady with developmental disabilities who prosecutors stated he lured to his dwelling in 2015 with the promise of a babysitting job. Defense attorneys stated no rape occurred and Stubblefield stated the girl consented to intercourse in change for cash.
In December 2024, the Sixth Court of Appeals discovered that prosecutors had violated the California Racial Justice Act of 2020, a legislation handed throughout a summer time of protest over the police killing of George Floyd. The measure prevents prosecutors from in search of a prison conviction or imposing a sentence basis of the race.
The appeals court docket stated prosecutors used “racially discriminatory language” that required them to overturn Stubblefield’s conviction.
Stubblefield started his 11-year NFL lineman profession with the 49ers in 1993 because the league’s defensive rookie of the 12 months. He later gained NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1997 earlier than leaving the crew to play for Washington. He returned to the Bay Area to complete his profession, enjoying with the 49ers in 2000-01 and the Raiders in 2003.
