Corollary: When a suspect or defendant is freed because there is no actual proof (technical evidence), or above all when evidence is disallowed because their rights have been violated, that's called “a (mere) technicality”.

Intentional or not, very very likely to condition the audience into regarding civil rights and rules of evidence as “mere” anything. Goes back to at least _Hill Street Blues_ and _Baretta,_ probably _Kojak_ too. Likely much farther than that. (Though _Columbo_ didn't display this attitude, at least not as flagrantly, IIRC?)