Former San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield could remain in jail until the conclusion of his upcoming trial on charges that he raped a developmentally disabled woman at his Morgan Hill home.
At the conclusion of Stubblefield’s preliminary hearing in San Jose Jan. 19, he was handcuffed and taken into custody after Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Tim McInerny added an enhancement for “use of a gun during the commission of sexual offenses” to the charges.
This enhancement carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, McInerny said. It also means Stubblefield will be held at Santa Clara County Jail without bail at least until his trial is over.
Stubblefield, 46, faces a total of five felony charges, on top of the gun enhancement, in relation to the 2015 alleged rape of the victim, who is in her 30s, according to authorities. These charges are forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, rape and oral copulation of a person incapable of consent, and false imprisonment.
Stubblefield has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 16, where the court and attorneys will set his trial date, McInerny said. Because Stubblefield has not waived his right to a speedy trial, his jury trial could begin in March.
Stubblefield was arrested by Morgan Hill Police in May 2016, after officers conducted a year-long investigation into the victim’s claim that the former NFL star raped her. The incident allegedly occurred April 9, 2015. Investigators said Stubblefield asked the woman to come to his home in Morgan Hill to interview for a babysitter job. He initially contacted the woman through the website sittercity.com, and asked her to visit his home the next day for a job interview.
After a brief interview, the woman left, according to authorities. But Stubblefield called her back and offered to pay for her time. When she returned, he carried the woman to a room, raped her, forced her to perform oral sex and then gave her $80, according to police reports.
The woman drove straight to the Morgan Hill police station from Stubblefield’s home to report the incident, according to authorities.
Stubblefield said in a statement after he was released on $250,000 bail following his arraignment in 2016, that he had consensual sex with the woman he is accused of raping. He denied all the charges at that time.
Among those who testified during the preliminary hearing was the victim’s mother, with whom the victim resides, McInerny said, adding the victim has “never lived alone.” The mother testified about the victim’s daily routine and history of special education and services she has acquired for disabled adults.
Authorities also presented the results of a psychological evaluation of the victim, commissioned by the DA’s office, McInerny said. This expert found the woman’s IQ to be “around 70.”
“We established a history of the victim being serviced (for) developmental disabilities,” McInerny said.
Stubblefield’s attorney did not immediately return a phone call requesting comment.
The Feb. 16 hearing will take place at the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill.
Stubblefield was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 1993 draft, and played for the team until the end of the 1997 season. He then played for the Washington Redskins, and returned to the 49ers for the 2001 and 2002 seasons. He then played for the Oakland Raiders in 2003.
