Justin Timberlake’s Lawyer Says Pop Singer Did Not Drive Drunk, Argues DUI Charges Should Be Dropped

Justin Timberlake arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Candy," on May 9, 2022, at El Capitan Theatre. Pop star Timberlake’s lawyer said July 26, 2024, that the singer wasn’t intoxicated as he seeks to get his drunken driving charge in New York’s Hamptons dismissed, citing errors in documents submitted by police. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Pop singer Justin Timberlake’s lawyer said on Friday that his client was not intoxicated during a traffic stop last month, as he seeks to have the drunken driving charge in New York’s Hamptons dismissed, citing errors in documents submitted by police.

Sag Harbor Village Justice Justice Carl Irace ordered Mr. Timberlake to be re-arraigned on Aug. 2 with the corrected paperwork. Sag Harbor is located on New York’s Long Island.

The judge also agreed to allow Mr. Timberlake to appear virtually for the proceeding since he’s currently on tour promoting his “Everything I Thought It Was” album in Europe.

Mr. Timberlake’s lawyer, Edward Burke, said after the hearing that “very significant errors” were made on the documents and that he expects the charge to be dismissed. He maintained that his client did not drive while drunk.

“He was not intoxicated,” Mr. Burke told reporters outside court. “I'll say it again. Justin Timberlake was not intoxicated.”

Prosecutors at Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office described the error on the paperwork as “ministerial” and that an amended charging document was filed on July 2.

“The facts and circumstance of the case have not been changed or amended,” spokesperson Emily O'Neil said in an email.

Mr. Burke suggested there were other problems with the arrest documents but did not provide further details.

“The police made a number of very significant errors in this case,” he said. “In court today, you heard the district attorney try to fix one of those errors. But that’s just one and there are many others. Sometimes the police make mistakes and this is just one of those instances.”

Mr. Burke added that Mr. Timberlake respects law enforcement and the judicial process. He said the 43-year-old singer had cooperated with the officers and was respectful throughout his arrest.

Mr. Timberlake was arrested after police said he ran a stop sign and swerved from his lane at about 12:30 a.m. on June 18. He was driving a 2025 BMW.

“His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath, he was unable to divide attention, he had slowed speech, he was unsteady afoot and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests,” the court papers said.

The singer told the officer that he had one martini and was following some friends home, according to the documents.

He was taken to a nearby East Hampton police station, where he refused a breath test.

The 10-time Grammy winner began performing as a young Disney Mouseketeer. He rose to fame as part of the boy band NSYNC, before launching his solo recording career in the early 2000s.