Prosecutors have dropped charges against three men accused of stealing handwritten Eagles lyrics composed by bandleader Don Henley (pictured above center) after he reportedly failed to disclose thousands of pages of evidence on time.
Assistant District Attorney Aaron Ginandes wrote in a letter to the court that the defense should have had an opportunity to cross-examine the prosecution about these materials. A New York judge agreed ruling that Henley had “manipulated” prosecutors. There was also newly uncovered evidence that cast doubt on whether Henley’s notes had been stolen in the first place.
Craig Inciardi, former curator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Glenn Horowitz, a dealer of high-end rare books, and Edward Kosinski, owner of a memorabilia business, were accused of conspiring to sell nearly 100 pages of allegedly stolen lyrics and notes fot the “Hotel California” album, which were collectively valued at over $1 million.
Each defendant was charged with one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree. Horowitz was separately charged with first-degree attempted criminal possession of stolen property plus two counts of hindering prosecution. Inciardi and Kosinski were each charged with first-degree counts of criminal possession.
“Hotel California,” the Eagles fifth studio album, has been certified 26× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the U.S. and has sold over 32 million units worldwide.
