Where Is That Confession?

I don't know whether this is funny or infuriating.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- A judge has thrown out a man's rape conviction because the jury that convicted him found something it wasn't supposed to see -- a purported confession stuck in the pocket of a pair of pants being examined in the jury room.

One juror revealed the discovery after the March conviction of Stanley Bradley.
Since the document had not been entered into evidence during trial, its discovery during deliberations tainted the jury, Circuit Judge Diane Goodstein wrote in her June 22 ruling, defense attorney Martin Banks said Tuesday.

The confession, it turns out, had been lost. And no one checked the pockets?

Investigators say a confession was taken after Bradley's arrest, but the original copy of the statement could not be found after the death of Calhoun County sheriff's Capt. Steve West in October 2004.

The prosecutor can either appeal or retry the case.