PHOTO BY LG FRANCIS - NINERS DANA STUBBLEFIELD (L.G. Francis/San Jose Mercury News)(Digital First Media Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO - The rape conviction against a former San Francisco 49er has been overturned.
An appellate court overturned Dana Stubblefield's 2020 rape conviction Wednesday, ruling prosecutors violated the Racial Justice Act, the Mercury News first reported.
The prosecution claimed police never investigated Stubblefield's home for a gun he was accused of using during the crime because he was a famous Black athlete.
In a trial that lasted nine months, a jury found Stubblefield guilty of raping a babysitter at his Morgan Hill home.
The opinion also overturns his 15-year prison sentence.
Stubblefield's attorney, Allen Sawyer, told KTVU the decision was a long-time coming and learned about the update to Stubblefield's case on Thursday morning.
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Sawyer also added Stubblefield's race was "constantly used as a prop" by prosecutors.
"We're just thrilled that we have a unanimous decision by the appellate court in the Sixth District agreeing with us and the appellate attorney, Mr. Doyle," Sawyer said.
Sawyer claimed pieces of evidence were not allowed to be presented to the jury that would've proved Stubblefield's innocence.
For next steps, Stubblefield's legal team expect that the former Niner will appear in front of the state court and be released immediately.
"We're going to have a motion in front of the court that will be filed forthwith to have him appear in front of the court and to be released," Sawyer said. "We don't really see that it's realistic that the prosecution would want to go forward after this rule, but we're prepared if they are."
Stubblefield has been in prison for three years. He played 11 seasons in the NFL, including seven with the Niners.
In 1997, he was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office said it is studying the court's decision before deciding whether to retry Stubblefield.
KTVU reporter Jana Katsuyama contributed to this report.