Former 49ers star Dana Stubblefield returned to court Friday for a hearing regarding his motion to be released from prison after his rape conviction was overturned.
Stubblefield's 2020 rape conviction was overturned Dec. 26 on the grounds of racial bias, a California appellate court ruled. The court stated Stubblefield didn't get a fair trial and that the prosecution violated the Racial Justice Act by making racially biased claims about Stubblefield being Black.
Since then, Stubblefield has been transferred from Corcoran State Prison in Kings County to Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas.
Friday's proceeding was continued to Jan. 17 for two reasons: The prosecution said it needs more time to review the motion, and the judge was unsure his court has jurisdiction to decide on Stubblefield's release.
Stubblefield was sentenced to 15 years to life after he was found guilty of raping a woman he was interviewing as a babysitter in his Morgan Hill home.
Legal analyst Steven Clark explained why Stubblefield must now petition the court for release from custody.
"The court did not say Mr. Stubblefield was innocent, only that he did not get a fair trial due to the violation of the Racial Justice Act," Clark said.
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Stubblefield's attorneys say they also will try to get the case itself dismissed.
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