‘Wasted Time’: Charges suddenly dropped mid-trial in The Eagles ‘Hotel California’ lyrics case

In a twist befitting a Hollywood thriller, a contentious legal battle involving the alleged theft of iconic Eagles lyrics has come to an abrupt close.

The Associated Press reports that the plot initially centered on a criminal case over the rightful ownership of handwritten lyrics to the band’s legendary anthem, “Hotel California,” but ended in a dramatic courtroom reversal.

Manhattan prosecutors have dropped all charges against three memorabilia specialists previously accused of unlawfully retaining and intending to sell these irreplaceable Eagles artifacts.

Defendants Glenn Horowitz, a rare books dealer, Craig Inciardi, once a curator at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and memorabilia merchant Edward Kosinski emerged blameless after the prosecution conceded that an unexpected document dump had changed the game.

The trial’s landscape shifted when Don Henley, co-founder of the Eagles, and his legal team surrendered attorney-client privilege on previously guarded communications. Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Aaron Ginandes disclosed to the court, “These delayed disclosures revealed relevant information that the defense should have had the opportunity to explore.”

This cache of lyrics, scribbled on legal-pad paper and integral to creating a revered rock masterpiece, sparked a legal showdown. The album it spawned stands as the third best-selling record in U.S. history, amplified by its haunting track that sketched a ghostly hotel of no escape.

The charges levied against the trio suggested they were aware of the dubious history of these pages but conspired to sell them regardless, crafting a fictitious background to satisfy auction houses, thus dodging Mr. Henley’s calls to reclaim them.

In response, defense attorneys maintained their clients were legitimate proprietors of these not-stolen pages. Post-dismissal, Inciardi asserted the task ahead was “building back our reputations.” Mr. Kosinski conveyed satisfaction with the trial’s conclusion, while Mr. Horowitz embraced the tearful family before exiting the court without comment.

Outside the courtroom corridors, Mr. Henley’s attorney, Dan Petrocelli, revealed that civil litigation awaited. “Mr. Henley has once again been victimized by this unjust outcome,” he said.