More than six weeks after an appeals court overturned his rape conviction, former NFL defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield has been freed from prison.
Via the Associated Press, a judge granted Stubblefield’s release on Friday.
“Finally, an innocent man is no longer sitting in a cage away from his family,” attorney Kenneth Rosenfeld said in a statement.
Stubblefield and his lawyers will hold a press conference on Wednesday.
The district attorney’s office intends to refile charges.
“A jury unanimously found Mr. Stubblefield guilty of raping a woman at gunpoint, he was given an appropriate sentence, and we felt that justice had been served,” Assistant District Attorney Terry Harman said in a statement. “That justice has been interrupted and although we are disappointed that the judge released Mr. Stubblefield from custody while we await a decision from the California Supreme Court, we remain focused on the sexual assault that occurred, the victim, and the need for accountability and community safety.”
The conviction was reversed because prosecutors used “racially discriminatory language” at trial, in violation of California law. His release had been delayed by the time needed to deliver the proper paperwork from the appeals court to the trial court.
While free from custody, Stubblefield is required to wear an ankle monitor, not possess firearms, and not contact the alleged victim.
Stubblefield spent 11 years in the NFL, playing for the 49ers, Washington, and the Raiders. He won Super Bowl XXIX with the 49ers and was named both the 1997 defensive player of the year and the 1993 defensive rookie of the year.
He’ll potentially face a new trial on the charges, along with the possibility of another conviction.
Read the full article here
