Don Henley and Eagles Manager Sued For Millions Over Lyric Case

Eagles frontman Don Henley and longtime band manager Irving Azoff are facing a massive lawsuit after a rare book dealer, Glenn Horowitz, accused them of ruining his reputation over a now-dismissed stolen lyrics case. Horowitz claims Henley and Azoff knew the handwritten lyric sheets were legally obtained but pushed forward with legal action anyway, causing irreparable harm.

“Glenn is looking forward to his day in court,” said his attorney Caitlin Robin. “He already cleared his name when the charges against him were dismissed, but it’s time to hold those responsible who were involved in his malicious prosecution.”

The Original Case and Sudden Dismissal

Henley had been trying to reclaim nearly 100 pages of handwritten lyrics from the Hotel California era, some of which were later put up for auction. He reported the documents as stolen, calling himself a victim of “extortion.”

Horowitz, along with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi and memorabilia auctioneer Edward Kosinski, was then charged with conspiring to possess stolen property. Prosecutors alleged they knew the lyric sheets were taken from Henley’s home by journalist Ed Sanders, who had been hired to write a never-published Eagles biography.

During the trial, unexpected details about a past scandal also surfaced. Henley admitted to making “a mistake” following the Eagles’ breakup in 1980, referencing a teen sex worker’s overdose at his home.

However, the case took a dramatic turn when new evidence cast doubt on the charges. Robin claims emails between Henley, Azoff, and their legal team proved they were aware that Sanders had obtained the lyric sheets legally. Yet, she says, they “purposefully withheld any disclosure thereof because they knew it would exculpate plaintiff Glenn Horowitz and essentially destroy the fraudulent allegations they made about him.”

The judge ultimately dismissed the charges, accusing Henley, Azoff, and their lawyers of trying to “obfuscate and hide information” that weakened their case.

How Much Is Henley Being Sued For?

Now, Horowitz is seeking millions in damages, claiming the ordeal cost him his reputation, business, and financial stability. The lawsuit states that Horowitz “was deprived of his liberty and suffered humiliation, defamation, media harassment, diminished reputation, loss of business and/or loss of wages amounting to more than ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00), in addition to mental anguish, indignity, frustration, and financial loss.”

His wife is also listed as a co-plaintiff, saying she suffered “humiliation, defamation, media harassment, diminished reputation, and mental and emotional anguish.”

Henley’s Response and Ongoing Legal Battle

Henley’s attorney, Dan Petrocelli, insists that the singer was the true victim in this situation. “The indictment highlighted the dark underbelly of the memorabilia business that exploited the brazen, unauthorized taking and selling of Mr. Henley’s handwritten lyrics,” Petrocelli stated. “The only malicious prosecution involved here is the filing of this case by Mr. Horowitz.”

Meanwhile, Henley has launched his own civil lawsuit to reclaim the original lyric sheets, which the Manhattan district attorney’s office still holds. The legal drama surrounding this case is far from over.