Don Henley has filed a lawsuit demanding the return of his handwritten lyrics to the iconic Eagles hit, “Hotel California.” Henley claims that the 100 pages of personal lyric sheets were stolen from him and has vowed to take legal action after a criminal case against three men attempting to sell the developmental lyrics was dropped.
Henley’s lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, stated, “These 100 pages of personal lyric sheets belong to Mr. Henley and his family, and he has never authorized defendants or anyone else to peddle them for profit.”
The three men, Glenn Horowitz, Craig Inciardi, and Edward Kosinski, were initially charged with conspiracy for allegedly attempting to sell the manuscripts. However, the handwritten pages are currently in the custody of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office, according to the new lawsuit.
In March, prosecutors dropped the criminal case mid-trial, citing newly available emails that defense lawyers claimed raised questions about the trial’s fairness. Henley’s attorney, Dan Petrocelli, expressed disappointment, stating, “As the victim in this case, Mr. Henley has once again been victimized by this unjust outcome. He will pursue all his rights in the civil courts.”
The manuscripts, valued at over $1 million, were allegedly stolen by Ed Sanders in the ’70s while working on an authorized book about the band. The pages later passed through various hands, including those of rare-book dealer Horowitz, before ending up with Inciardi and Kosinski, who attempted to sell them through Kosinski’s company.
Henley first became aware of the stolen pages in 2012 and purchased them to retrieve his work. Despite this, Inciardi and Kosinski continued their efforts to sell the manuscripts. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office eventually retrieved Henley’s stolen manuscripts in 2016, but the legal battle continues as Henley seeks justice and the return of his property.
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