Former NFL player Dana Stubblefield convicted of rape
A former NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers was convicted of rape and other charges in a California courtroom Monday.
Dana Stubblefield, 49, was found guilty of luring a developmentally disabled woman to his Morgan Hill home in April 2015 with a promise of a babysitting job after contacting her through a babysitting website. He faces 15 years to life in prison.
The former defensive tackle, who was with the 49ers for seven years, was found guilty by a jury on charges of rape by force using a firearm, oral copulation by force, and false imprisonment, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office. He was acquitted of other charges of rape of a person incapable of giving consent, and oral copulation of a person incapable of giving consent.
Stubblefield was remanded to jail without bail after the verdict was read.
Santa Clara County’s District Attorney Jeff Rosen called the ruling a “triumph of resilience” in a statement issued Monday.
“The victim has struggled her whole life with learning disabilities and challenges to be self-sufficient,” Rosen said. “If we are not fighting for her, then who are we fighting for? It has been a long road for this remarkable woman and we are thankful to the jury for providing her some closure and, for our community, justice after an unconscionable and violent crime.”
Allen Sawyer, Stubblefield’s attorney, said he “firmly believes” his client is innocent. They plan to appeal the ruling.
He also said there were “unprecedented jury trial circumstances” due to Covid-19 that inhibited Stubblefield from receiving a fair due process.
“It was very difficult for jurors to try to recall what evidence was presented months ago,” Sawyer told CNN Monday. “The jury was in panel in January and it stopped for two months because of Covid, then it stopped again for weeks on time.”
Sawyer said that it’s a “very difficult time” for his client and family, but Stubblefield is “resilient.”
Stubblefield was the 49ers’ first round draft pick in 1993. From 1993 to 2003, he spent a total of seven years with the San Francisco 49ers, three years with the Washington Football Team, and one year with the Oakland Raiders as a defensive tackle.
