That’s not how I read it at all…

It’s certainly open to interpertation. The guy isn’t ever quoted. It doesn’t say, for instance:

In doing so, he acknowledged that “there were bootlegs among them and that selling those would be illegal”, according to court records.

If he owned originals, there never would have been a court case in the first place. And to me, a “bootleg” is any illegally-made recording, irrespective of whether or not it’s for sale. Perhaps the colloquial differs from the legalistic, I wouldn’t know.

SM:

That’s not how I read it at all. Nowhere does it say that the prosecutor thinks the guy admitted there were bootlegs. As I read it, he acknowledged, as a matter of public record, that some of them were. Probably figured he had nothing to lose, given that he had already beat the criminal rap.

The Sherrif on Nottingham HAS to be some kind of patron saint of government employees these days…doesn’t he?

God forbid they ever watch “Open Range” and see Costner and Duval placking legally elected public officials with those cowboy loads! They’d drive right into Hollywood and BUST those guys!

After beating the criminal charges, Cohen asked for all of his music back, saying he wanted it for his personal collection, not for his store’s sale bins. In doing so, in the opinion of the state’s attorney, he acknowledged that there were bootlegs among them and that selling those would be illegal, according to court records.

They are pretty sure he did something wrong but they wholly and utterly failed to prove that in court. Because he was acquitted, (unless they use the standard mischief trick of trying him at a different level of government) double jeopardy prevents his further punishment for any crime. I will note that the link you provided said that the state dropped (thus not acquitted) six of the charges.

We don’t just randomly deny people their property rights and stuff, there’s a procedure in place. Due process again. A nation of laws and not men.

Admission of not being able to sell them really doesn’t say anything in and of itself.

After beating the criminal charges, Cohen asked for all of his music back, saying he wanted it for his personal collection, not for his store’s sale bins. In doing so, he acknowledged that there were bootlegs among them and that selling those would be illegal, according to court records.

and:

“State statute allows them to be disposed of as the court sees fit,”Fuller said. “But because these are contraband, I can’t imagine anything would happen except for destruction.”

If the guy wanted his CDs back, it was pretty stupid (one might say “hella lame”) for him to admit to the court that they were bootlegged. If state statutes allow for confiscated contraband to be destroyed, I’m not sure where the foul is.