"Hotel California" Manuscript center of conspiracy and theft case, three charged

The trial concerning the stolen manuscript of the Eagles' hit song "Hotel California" is set to commence, with three individuals facing charges of illegally possessing the material and attempting its sale.

This Wednesday, a New York Manhattan court will begin proceedings over the manuscript of "Hotel California" by the Eagles. Glenn Horowitz, Craig Inciardi, and Edward Kosinski, charged in 2022 with conspiring to possess stolen property worth over a million dollars, will take the stand. The case dates back to the late 70s when the band's biographer, Ed Sanders, supposedly acquired 100 pages of materials containing notes and song lyrics from group leader Don Henley. In 2005, he allegedly sold these to Glenn Horowitz, a dealer in rare books, who then sold the notes to Inciardi and Kosinski. According to the indictment issued in 2022, they attempted to have the items purchased by auction houses Christie's and Sotheby's or bought back by Henley himself. The prosecution has investigated the matter since 2016, and all three accused pleaded not guilty.

As reported by the BBC, during the upcoming trial, the prosecution must prove that the materials were stolen, not gifted. The defense claims that no theft occurred. "We believe Mr. Henley voluntarily gave the lyrics to Mr. Sanders," said attorney Scott Edelman last week. However, court documents state Henley testified he never gave Sanders access to the song lyrics. The case also involves lyrics for "New Kid in Town" and "Life in the Fast Lane."

Meanwhile, Sanders has not been charged with theft or conspiracy. The defense, cited by the "New York Times," argues that if the prosecution does not consider him a thief, the song lyrics cannot be deemed stolen, and the case should be dismissed.

Sources: New York Times; BBC