Eagles co-founder Don Henley on Monday opened up about a night more than 40 years ago that he described as a lifelong regret during his trial in a Manhattan courtroom, the New York Post reported.
The 76-year-old musician recalled an incident involving cocaine and a 16-year-old prostitute. according to to the New York Post. These revelations came as Henry took the stand at trial for the alleged theft of the lyrics to the band's iconic “Hotel California.''
He described his actions leading up to his arrest in 1980 and revealed a period of personal turmoil following the disbandment of the Eagles.
“I wanted to forget what was going on. I wanted to escape the depression,” Henry said of his criminal past in Manhattan Supreme Court, the New York Post reported. “So, I made a mistake, I called.” [a] Madam, I told her I wanted some company. A few hours later, a young woman came to my house. ” (Related: Freddie Gibbs says he shot a 'crackhead' nine times during interview with Joe Rogan)
Eagles' Don Henley “regrets'' night of cocaine addiction with 16-year-old prostitute that caused seizure and “wanted to run away'' https://t.co/vXUKC4pFRy pic.twitter.com/MDBYXXQYCV
— New York Post (@nypost) February 26, 2024
According to the newspaper, the defendant detailed in court the sequence of events in which he shared the cocaine and the harrowing aftermath that ended with the woman having a seizure. Henry revealed that she slept with the girl, but she insisted they did not have sex. The next day, she woke up and heard noises coming from her bedroom. When the man realized she was having a seizure, he immediately called 911.
Henry said when the fire department arrived, she was given the choice of taking the girl to the hospital or leaving her in their care. According to the New York Post, she was experiencing symptoms of an overdose at the time and authorities called police. Afterwards, Henry said, she offered to give the girl a ride home after she regained consciousness. When her transportation arrived, so did the police. She was then arrested and charged with a misdemeanor as she was contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Reflecting on his actions, he expressed deep regret and acknowledged that his choices had long-term consequences. “I made the wrong decision and I still regret it. I had to live with this disease for 44 years. I still live with this problem today in this courtroom.” Henry said, the New York Post reported.
Henry's court appearance focused primarily on a trial involving three people accused of conspiring to sell stolen draft lyrics for “Hotel California.”
