Justin Timberlake pleaded guilty on Friday morning in relation to his DWI case. Arriving at the Sag Harbor Village Justice Courthouse in Long Island, New York, he was accompanied by his attorney, Edward Burke Jr.
As part of a court agreement, Timberlake admitted to a noncriminal traffic violation for driving while impaired. However, Judge Carl Irace, who had previously suspended Timberlake’s license during a hearing last month, expressed dissatisfaction with the plea deal. He encouraged Timberlake to consider volunteering at a nonprofit of his choice. Timberlake agreed to complete 25 to 40 hours of community service and also consented to pay a fine.
After the court proceedings, Timberlake addressed reporters outside the courthouse, emphasizing his commitment to maintaining high personal standards. “This was not that. I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision,” he stated. He urged others to avoid driving after drinking, highlighting alternative transportation options such as calling a friend or using rideshare services. “This was a mistake that I made, but I’m hoping that whoever’s watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have,” he added.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney commended Timberlake for taking responsibility and leveraging his influence to promote awareness about the dangers of drunk driving. He noted, “Drunk and drugged driving is an extremely serious nationwide public safety issue,” and stressed that in 2024, with the availability of public transit and rideshares, there is no excuse for driving while impaired.
Timberlake’s attorney clarified that the singer only had one drink over a two-hour period at the American Hotel. He emphasized that Timberlake was not drinking other people’s drinks and had not been warned against driving. The attorney described Timberlake as polite, cooperative, and respectful during his interaction with law enforcement.
The Grammy winner was arrested on June 18 in the Hamptons area of Long Island after enjoying an evening out with friends. He was stopped for running a stop sign while driving a gray Florida-registered BMW and subsequently arrested after failing a field sobriety test, according to a police report. Timberlake mentioned having “one martini” prior to driving and claimed he was following friends home. The arresting officer noted that Timberlake had bloodshot and glassy eyes, a strong smell of alcohol on his breath, and displayed impairments in attention and speech.