State v. Bridge

— This is an appeal from a second degree burglary conviction. The only evidence linking the defendant, Andrew Genius Bridge, to the burglary was a latent fingerprint found on a tag on a magnetic tool that had been purchased within a month or two before the burglary. The question here is whether the latent fingerprint on this movable object was sufficient to support the burglary conviction. We conclude that it was not and reverse.

FACTS

Between the morning of October 13 and the morning of October 14, 1996, someone broke into Lee Verment’s barn. The burglar entered by destroying the barn door.…