"Eagles' "Hotel California" Handwritten Lyrics at Center of Criminal Trial"

The handwritten lyrics of the Eagles' classic "Hotel California" are at the center of a criminal trial set to open, with rare-book dealer Glenn Horowitz, former Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi, and memorabilia seller Edward Kosinski charged with conspiring to own and sell the manuscripts without the right to do so. The defendants have pleaded not guilty, claiming they committed no crime, while the Manhattan district attorney's office alleges they conspired to obscure the documents' disputed ownership. The trial, which is rare for such valuable collectibles, could offer insight into the band's creative process and '70s stardom, with Don Henley expected to testify as the prosecutors' star witness. The dispute revolves around over 80 pages of draft lyrics from the "Hotel California" album, and much hinges on the Eagles' interactions with a writer who worked on an authorized biography but is not charged in the case.