[jmstein7]

A better analogy is a coat closet in an office.

Everyone can use it. Someone accidentally forgets to lock one of the closet doors and leaves an illegal gun in the closet.

A co-worker goes to put his coat away in the closet (which is not locked), and, in turn, finds the gun.

The guy reports his findings to the cops.

[diotima]

Nice job!

[familyofman]

"A better analogy is a coat closet in an office."

I disagree, because your analogy assumes the item taken from the coat is "illegal", which the memos (internal) have not been proven to be. If you reach into someone else's pocket in a coat hanging in a closet & remove a personal letter/diary - I think you are guilty of theft. Once an item is obtained illegally, isn't it always "tainted" (constitutional search & seizure)?