Eagles Lyrics Trial Unfolds: Three Men Accused of Conspiracy over Theft of Handwritten Songs
By [Your Name], Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, February 22, 2024
Welcome to the Hotel California … the New York criminal complaint reissue.
The trial of three men accused of conspiracy involving the possession of the original handwritten lyrics for the Eagles’ smash hit Hotel California has unfolded in New York, revealing the band’s decades-long effort to recover the stolen work.
Background: Stolen Lyrics and Biographical Disputes
The Eagles, the American rock band that rose to stardom in the 1970s, has been fighting to retrieve approximately 100 pages of handwritten song lyrics allegedly stolen from their hit album Hotel California. The lyrics, penned by Eagles’ co-founders Don Henley and Glenn Frey, were in the possession of rock journalist Ed Sanders, who had been hired by the band over 40 years ago to write their biography.
According to Irving Azoff, the band’s longtime manager, Sanders had taken the lyrics from Henley’s storage barn in Malibu. The band’s attempts to recover the stolen lyrics from Sanders were detailed in court, highlighting their determination to regain possession of their iconic work.
The Trial and Defendants
In a surprising twist, neither Sanders nor the band’s authorized biographer was on trial. Instead, three defendants, rare-books collector Glenn Horowitz, memorabilia seller Edward Kosinski, and former Rock and Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi, are being tried for knowingly possessing and attempting to sell the stolen lyrics without the band’s consent.
The three men, standing before a New York state supreme court judge without a jury, face accusations of conspiring to sell the stolen lyrics and intentionally obscuring the origin of the papers.
The Defendants’ Defense
The defense attorneys of the accused maintain that their clients were unaware the memorabilia could have been acquired through theft. Jonathan Bach, Horowitz’s defense attorney, argued that Sanders, a respected literary figure and the band’s authorized biographer, was readily provided with the documents. Matthew Laroche, Kosinski’s defense attorney, emphasized a lack of evidence and vowed to seek the dismissal of the case. Stacey Richman, Inciardi’s defense attorney, firmly expressed that the three men were innocent, claiming that no crime had occurred.
Possible Convictions and Key Witnesses
If found guilty, Horowitz, Inciardi, and Kosinski could face up to four years in prison. The trial includes anticipated testimony from Don Henley himself, expected to take the stand on Monday. Henley, who noticed the stolen lyrics being sold online in 2012, bought some of the pages for $8,500 and subsequently reported the theft to the district attorney.
Ongoing Controversies and Legal Proceedings
The trial, which commenced in 2022, sheds light on long-standing controversies surrounding the band, the stolen lyrics, and the subsequent legal battles. Prosecutors aim to demonstrate that the lyrics were stolen by Sanders, although he faces no charges, and reveal the actions of the defendants regarding the stolen notebooks.
The defense argues that the case is unreasonable, questioning the authorities’ delay in bringing forth charges and pointing out that the alleged events transpired nearly 50 years ago. They also criticize the district attorney’s raid on Kosinski’s New Jersey home in 2019, labeling the tactics as inappropriate. The case remains ongoing as the trial progresses in New York.
Implications and Legal Framework
New York’s district attorney, Alvin Bragg, emphasizes the importance of following the law when dealing with cultural artifacts. Implicitly linking the lyrics prosecution to broader efforts to recover looted antiquities, Bragg stated, “New York is a world-class hub for art and culture, and those who deal cultural artifacts must scrupulously follow the law.”
