Legal Victory for Don Henley in Eagles Lyrics Case

A New York State Supreme Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by rare books dealer Glenn Horowitz against Eagles frontman Don Henley and his longtime manager, Irving Azoff. The lawsuit stemmed from a criminal case in which Horowitz was accused of attempting to sell stolen handwritten lyrics from the Eagles' iconic 1976 album, *Hotel California*. The criminal charges against Horowitz and two other defendants were abandoned mid-trial in March 2024 after Henley produced previously withheld documents that raised questions about the legitimacy of the claims.

Eagles Singer Don Henley Scores Legal Victory as Judge Tosses Out “Hotel California” LawsuitRolling StoneBillboard

The controversy began when Henley alleged that over 100 pages of handwritten lyrics were stolen by journalist Ed Sanders, who had been contracted to write a biography of the Eagles in the late 1970s. Sanders retained the lyrics after the biography project was scrapped. In 2012, these lyrics resurfaced when Horowitz and his business partner, John McWhinnie, purchased them from Sanders and subsequently sold them to memorabilia dealers Craig Inciardi and Edward Kosinski. Henley intervened when Inciardi and Kosinski attempted to auction the lyrics, leading to the criminal investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

Rolling Stone

Justice Kathleen Waterman-Marshall ruled that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office had "ample probable cause" to pursue criminal charges against Horowitz, noting that a grand jury had indicted him based on a thorough investigation. The judge emphasized that the dismissal of the criminal case was not due to any misconduct by Henley or Azoff, stating, “There’s no finding that that information was withheld by Mr. Henley or any of the defendants for an improper purpose.”

Rolling StoneBillboardEagles Singer Don Henley Scores Legal Victory as Judge Tosses Out “Hotel California” Lawsuit

In response to the dismissal, Henley’s attorney, Dan Petrocelli, remarked, “The only malicious prosecution was Horowitz’s own lawsuit, which the Court promptly and rightly dismissed.” Horowitz's attorney, Caitlin Robin, announced plans to appeal the ruling and indicated that Horowitz is pursuing a separate malicious prosecution suit against the city of New York.

Rolling Stone

Horowitz contends that he and his co-defendants were wrongfully prosecuted, asserting that the lyrics were never stolen and that Sanders had legally obtained them. He claims that Henley’s actions in reporting the alleged theft were unfounded and constituted malicious prosecution. However, the court found that Henley’s report to law enforcement did not meet the legal threshold for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Billboard

As the legal battles continue, Henley is also pursuing his own lawsuit to reclaim the lyrics, which remain in the custody of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. The outcome of Horowitz's appeal and his ongoing case against the city of New York will further shape the narrative surrounding this high-profile dispute over the Eagles' intellectual property.

Eagles Singer Don Henley Scores Legal Victory as Judge Tosses Out “Hotel California” Lawsuit

• “The only malicious prosecution was Horowitz’s own lawsuit, which the Court promptly and rightly dismissed.” — Dan Petrocelli, Attorney for Don Henley and Irving Azoff

Rolling Stone

• “dismissal was based upon the inability of Mr. Horowitz’s defense to be presented with certain information, but there’s no finding that that information was withheld by Mr. Henley or any of the defendants for an improper purpose.” — Justice Kathleen Waterman-Marshall

Billboard

• “We are appealing and moving to renew and reargue the judge’s dismissal against Don Henley and Irving Azoff.” — Caitlin Robin, Attorney for Glenn Horowitz

Rolling Stone