Justin Timberlake “Not Intoxicated” When Arrested Lawyer Says At DWI Hearing; Arraignment Set For Next Week

A court hearing held Friday in Sag Harbor, New York, for Justin Timberlake on his misdemeanor DWI charge saw attempts by the singer’s lawyer to have the charge dismissed rejected.

Timberlake’s attorney Edward Burke Jr., asserted that his client “was not intoxicated” when he was arrested June 18. The judge set Timberlake’s arraignment for next Friday, August 2 on one count of DWI. Timberlake was not in court today nor did he appear virtually, as he is in Poland as part of his world tour. He is expected to appear virtually next week for arraignment.

Timberlake was arrested for drunk driving in the wee hours of June 18 after a night out with friends in this popular summer beach destination, where weekend visitors and vacationers mingle with the wealthy residents and longtime locals of Long Island’s tony Hamptons region. The Grammy-winning pop singer and Emmy-winning actor was on a weeklong break from the international tour in support of his latest album, Everything I Thought It Was. 

Timberlake had been with a group of people that night at the bar and restaurant inside The American Hotel, a favorite spot in a landmarked 19th Century building on Sag Harbor’s picturesque Main Street. The former ’N Sync vocalist was pulled over after midnight in a gray new-model BMW SUV with Florida license plates for driving erratically and running stop sign on a residential street about a half-mile from the restaurant, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Sag Harbor Village Police officer who stopped and then arrested him. 

The officer wrote that Timberlake was driving “in an intoxicated condition,” and that his eyes were “bloodshot and glassy” while he also emitted “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage.” 

“I had one martini and I followed my friends home,” he told the officer, according to the police report. But he “performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests,” and then refused a breathalyzer test, saying, “No, I’m not doing a chemical test,” the officer wrote. Timberlake was arrested, spent the rest of the night in a local lockup, and was released in the morning. 

As a first-time offender facing a misdemeanor DWI charge, Timberlake could face up to a year behind bars and a fine up to $2,500, and a loss of driving privileges in New York. He has pleaded not guilty to driving while intoxicated and to assorted traffic violations. His lawyer, Edward Burke Jr., has vowed to fight the charges and has emphasized that no one was hurt by his client.

Timberlake began his entertainment career as a Disney Mouseketeer and then became a member of the harmonizing, dancing teen-pop band ’N Sync, of “Bye Bye Bye” fame. A favorite of the group’s young fans, Timberlake in the early 2000s managed the rare feat of moving on from a millions-selling band to a thriving solo career that equaled or surpassed his first act. 

Timberlake on his own racked up hits including “Cry Me a River” and “SexyBack” with an accessible sound straddling funk, pop and club music, and he wielded enough crossover clout to net collaborations with rap and r&b icons including Jay-Z, Drake, Rihanna and Missy Elliott.

His screen career also took off, with roles in everything from The Social Network to Trolls. But it’s been a challenging few years for the onetime boy-band sensation turned solo pop phenomenon and standout Saturday Night Live guest host. 

Timberlake has faced scrutiny of his behavior toward fellow pop star and Disney alumnus Britney Spears during and after the years they dated. A 2021 documentary, Malfunction, about the fallout from Janet Jackson’s infamous “wardrobe malfunction” at a 2004 Super Bowl halftime show with Timberlake, questioned why the brunt of the criticism fell on Jackson while Timberlake’s career was unscathed. 

Timberlake is also dealing with an issue familiar to any veteran pop star: How to stay relevant as your core audience ages and younger listeners tune into newer acts. Timberlake’s new album, billed as a return to his roots, bowed to underwhelming reviews and didn’t continue his long streak of No. 1’s. Page Six reported that the young officer who arrested Timberlake had no idea who he was.