Don Henley's past was brought up during the criminal case against Craig Incidardi, Glenn Horowitz, and Edward Kosinski, now famously dubbed the "Hotel California" case.
According to the Associated Press, the prosecutors wanted to get ahead of the defense by asking the Eagles' co-founder about his 1980 arrest-unrelated to the case.
Police found drugs and an overdosed, naked 16-year-old girl in his Los Angeles home over 40 years ago.
"I wanted to forget about everything that was happening with the band, and I made a poor decision which I regret to this day. I've had to live with it for 44 years," the musician said. "I'm still living with it today, in this courtroom. Poor decision."
In 1991 his GQ Magazine interview, Henley admitted that he had no idea of the girl's age when the incident occurred.
Don Henley Testifies in 'Hotel California' Case
The "Desperado" hitmaker was hit with a $2,500 fine and probation after pleading no contest to the misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in 1981.
"I don't remember the anatomical details, but I know there was no sex," the musician said, adding that they did drugs together and simply talked about the Eagles' breaking up.
According to him, what spurred on the entire thing was to "escape the depression [he] was in" following the Eagles' split in 1980.
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What is the 'Hotel California' Case?
According to reports, the Eagles' song "Hotel California" became the center of a criminal trial against Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator, Inciardi, rare-book dealer, Horowitz, and memorabilia seller Kosinski.
The three were charged with conspiring to own and sell the manuscripts of the hit song-as well as other song lyrics by the Eagles-without permission nor rights to do so.
There are over 100 pages of handwritten lyrics that were turned into evidence.
Henley claimed that the manuscripts were stolen from him in the 70s by Ed Shaners, a writer who was writing a book about the Eagles at the time; the book was never published.
"It just wasn't something that was for public viewing. It was our process," the musician said. "It was something very personal, very private. I still wouldn't show that to anybody."
The Eagles is one of the best-selling bands in the world; they won six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, and they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
