Linda is a victim of a terrible crime and the prosecution suspects that Luis was the culprit.  The State's District Attorney personally leads the investigation against Luis.  The District Attorney takes the evidence (a smoking gun) to the attorney general, who issues a warrant to search Luis's home.

At Luis's home, officers spend nearly five hours searching for evidence, eventually finding Linda's bracelet which she was wearing the night of the crime in a secret, hidden compartment.  The police then arrest Luis for criminal battery.  At trial, Luis is represented by a public defender, as he cannot afford to retain a lawyer.  The superior court finds Luis guilty of battery, but the conviction is reversed by the Court of Appeal.  Why did the appeals court rule this way?