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Three people in New York have been charged with possessing rock legend Don Henley’s handwritten notes and lyrics for songs including the famous “Hotel California” – and even trying for years to prevent Henley from being reunited with his documents after the Eagles band member himself got involved, officials announced Tuesday.
Glenn Horowitz, 66; Edward Kosinski, 59; and Craig Inciardi, 58, were indicted for conspiracy involving their possession of roughly 100 pages of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s notes and lyrics for songs on the Eagles’ famous “Hotel California” album, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said in a Tuesday press release. The stolen property allegedly included lyrics for the songs “Life in the Fast Lane” and “New Kid in Town,” and also for the six-and-a-half-minute hit, “Hotel California.”
These handwritten lyrics are an integral part of the legacy Don Henley has created over the course of his 50-plus-year career.
The stolen documents were collectively valued at more than $1 million.
The suspects were each indicted on one count of fourth-degree conspiracy. Horowitz was also charged with attempted criminal possession of stolen property and hindering prosecution. Inciardi and Kosinski were also hit with charges of criminal possession of stolen property, Bragg’s office said.
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In this Oct. 25, 2017, file photo, Don Henley performs at “All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration” at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
(Photo by Laura Roberts/Invision/AP, File)
Irving Azoff, Henley’s manager, wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital that he and Henley were thankful to Bragg and his office, and “have faith that justice will be served.”
“This action exposes the truth about music memorabilia sales of highly personal, stolen items hidden behind a facade of legitimacy. No one has the right to sell illegally obtained property or profit from the outright theft of irreplaceable pieces of musical history,” Azoff wrote. “These handwritten lyrics are an integral part of the legacy Don Henley has created over the course of his 50-plus-year career. We look forward to the return of Don’s property, for him and his family to enjoy and preserve for posterity.”
Meanwhile, in a joint statement provided to Fox News Digital, attorneys for the trio said the men “are innocent.”
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UNSPECIFIED – JANUARY 01: (AUSTRALIA OUT) Photo of EAGLES, from left: Bernie Leadon, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Don Felder, Randy Meisner
(Photo by GAB Archive/Redferns)
“The DA’s office alleges criminality where none exists and unfairly tarnishes the reputations of well-respected professionals,” the statement reads. “We will fight these unjustified charges vigorously.”
According to Bragg, the trio “attempted to keep and sell these unique and valuable manuscripts, despite knowing they had no right to do so.”
“They made up stories about the origin of the documents and their right to possess them so they could turn a profit,” the district attorney continued.
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The Eagles perform at the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Jan. 13, 1998. Band members are, from left: Randy Meisner, Timothy B. Schmit, Glen Frey, Don Felder, Joe Walsh and Don Henley, rear.
(Reuters )
Henley’s famous notes and music scores were allegedly stolen in the late 1970s by an author who was writing about the band. The author then allegedly sold the missives to Horowitz, who is described as “a rare books dealer,” in 2005, the office said.
Horowitz went on to allegedly sell the documents to Inciardi and Kosinski. But when Henley himself got wind of Inciardi’s and Kosinski’s alleged efforts to “sell portions of the manuscripts,” he filed police reports, notified the pair that the items were stolen and demanded he get them back.
“Rather than making any effort to ensure they actually had rightful ownership, the defendants responded by engaging in a years-long campaign to prevent Henley from recovering the manuscripts,” the office said.
Glenn Frey, left, and Don Henley of the Eagles perform at Madison Square Garden in New York.
(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
The pair allegedly even went as far as to try to fabricate details of the documents’ origins and then use those bogus details “to coerce Don Henley into buying back his stolen property.” Meanwhile, they simultaneously tried to sell the manuscripts through big-name auction houses, the office said.
Horowitz also allegedly tried to exploit the death of founding band member Glenn Frey by claiming the stolen documents came from Frey.
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“[Frey] alas, is dead and identifying him as the source would make this go away once and for all,” he allegedly wrote in an email.
