Charges dropped against three accused of trying to sell stolen Hotel California lyrics

Case collapsed after emails came to light that defense lawyers said raised questions about the trial's fairness

Prosecutors in New York have dropped a criminal case against three men accused of a conspiracy to sell stolen legal pads with hand-written lyrics to the Eagles' Hotel California and two other songs after emails came to light that undercut the premise of the complaint.

The Manhattan assistant district attorney Aaron Ginandes told the court on Wednesday morning that they no longer wished to proceed with a prosecution that last week saw the band's co-founder Don Henley take the stand over two days to claim that the legal pads had been burgled from his Malibu home.