Hi, It's Steve Jobs. Give Me Back My iPhone

Evan as Brian Hogan pocketed a wad of cash in exchange for Steve Jobs' latest iPhone and Gizmodo was busily analyzing it, the wheels were in motion: Hogan's roommate tipped off cops to his involvement the day before the report was published, Apple honchos were pushing for criminal charges, and Jobs himself was on the phone to Gizmodo demanding the phone's return.

Court records unsealed yesterday detail the behind-the-scenes drama, including Hogan's alleged attempt to ditch evidence, allegations of Apple throwing its weight around in obtaining the search warrant executed at a Gizmodo editor's house, and the resulting kerfuffle over journalism ethics, theft, and California's shield laws. Read the full AP story here. (More iPhone 4 stories.)