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Prosecutors drop charges midtrial against 3 accused of possessing stolen ‘Hotel California’ lyrics

Prosecutors have abruptly dropped charges midtrial against 3 accused of possessing stolen lyrics to the song, and other Eagles hits.

In the middle of trial, New York prosecutors abruptly dropped their case Wednesday against three collectibles experts who had been accused of scheming to hang onto and peddle the pages, which Eagles co-founder Don Henley maintained were stolen, private artifacts of the band’s creative process. The court heard the band’s longtime manager lament on a decades-old tape about dealing with “a pampered rock star.” Henley held in his hands aging pages with lyrics-in-the-making for such Eagles songs as “After the Thrill is Gone,” “One of These Nights” and “The Long Run.” During testimony that stretched across three days, the Grammy-winning singer and drummer recounted highlights from the band’s heyday, such as the writing of “Hotel California.” And he discussed personal low points, including his 1980 arrest after authorities reported finding a 16-year-old girl who was ailing from drug use at his home.

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