Attorney Allen Sawyer and Team Celebrate the Overturning of Dana Stubblefield’s Rape Conviction and Release from Prison
Having maintained their client’s innocence since he was accused of raping a woman at gunpoint in 2016 and convicted in 2020, the efforts of California criminal defense attorneys Allen Sawyer and Kenneth Rosenfeld to get Dana Stubblefield out of prison came to fruition following the December 26 vacating of the former NFL player’s rape conviction and sentence by a California appellate court.
As reported on CNN, in December, a California appellate court overturned the rape conviction of former San Francisco 49ers star Dana Stubblefield, saying that statements made by the prosecution during the 2020 jury trial had violated the California Racial Justice Act of 2020. On February 7, Stubblefield was released from Corcoran State Prison—a marked victory for his trial attorneys, Allen Sawyer and Kenneth Rosenfeld of Rosenfeld & Sawyer.
“We’re thrilled at the result,” said Sawyer, who along with Rosenfeld has upheld the belief that the matter between Stubblefield and alleged victim Jane Doe was one of consensual paid sex, rather than rape. “From the moment our client was wrongfully convicted, we knew we had to roll up our sleeves and keep fighting.”
Dana Stubblefield’s Rape Conviction
Stubblefield had originally been found guilty of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, and false imprisonment of a woman who had interviewed with him for a babysitting job; he was furthermore found guilty of using a firearm while committing the first two offenses. Sentenced to a term of 15 years to life in prison, Stubblefield had already served over three years of the sentence by the time he was freed from prison.
Thanks to Sawyer and Rosenfeld’s intervention, Dana Stubblefield’s rape conviction was overturned. The Santa Clara County Sixth District Court of Appeals agreed that prosecutors’ racially discriminatory language in the original trial had unjustly influenced the jury. Particularly in question was the prosecution’s assertion that police had failed to search Stubblefield’s home for the alleged gun because a search of his home for a gun would have created a “storm of controversy.” The implication, said the appellate court, was that, in the wake of civil unrest related to the George Floyd case, Stubblefield gained an undeserved advantage at trial for being a Black man. Finding Stubblefield’s conviction legally invalid, the appellate court subsequently vacated both conviction and sentence.
As per an article in The Mercury News, the criminal defense team of Sawyer and Rosenfeld additionally uncovered several other court and prosecution errors in the trial, including a withholding of evidence from the jury that might have altered the trial’s outcome. Sawyer and Rosenfeld had previously secured two weighty acquittals for Stubblefield in July 2020: rape of a person incapable of giving consent, and oral copulation of a person incapable of giving consent.
As for any pending appeal to the California Supreme Court of Stubblefield’s conviction reversal, Sawyer acknowledges that the decision to review the case is in the high court’s discretion.
“It’s possible,” said Sawyer. “But burdening our client to endure a second jury trial because of mistakes committed by the government hardly seems fair, and hopefully the California Supreme Court will recognize that.”
About California Defense Attorney Allen Sawyer
With offices in Stockton, San Jose, and Sacramento, The Law Offices of Allen Sawyer comprise unparalleled attorney representation for a range of legal matters across the state. Additionally, Mr. Sawyer can be seen regularly on local television news, handling cases for politicians, celebrities, sports figures, and matters in the public eye.
Sawyer brings over 20 years of experience as a California attorney, including time spent as a prosecutor, to his California defense attorney practice. Misdemeanors and felonies, Allen Sawyer litigates California criminal defense cases including, but not limited to the following: California Criminal Defense, Stockton Drug Crimes Defense, California Embezzlement Defense, Federal Crimes Defense, and San Francisco White Collar Defense.
His distinctive legal experience and his passionate dedication uniquely situate him to provide criminal defense to clients in Stockton, Sacramento, San Francisco, Northern California, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Mr. Sawyer fights for the rights of the accused. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact Allen Sawyer directly at (209) 645-0556, or visit the law firm website: https://www.allensawyer.com/