Justin Timberlake pleads guilty to lesser charge after Long Island DWI arrest, admits

Sag Harbor, NY – Justin Timberlake spoke after taking over A plea deal in his DWI case In Long Island.

Timberlake, 43, appeared in court in Sag Harbor on Friday and agreed to plead guilty to driving while ability impaired (DWAI), a lesser traffic violation. The DWI charge against him was dropped.

The plea agreement included a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge, as well as 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit of his choice. Timberlake has a year to complete community service. The deal required Timberlake to declare a public safety, which he did shortly after appearing in court.

The judge was initially unsatisfied with the terms of the plea, calling the fine minimal and asking Timberlake if he would also undertake 25 hours of unpaid community service, which Timberlake agreed to. He has one year to complete it.

Camera crews surrounded Timberlake as he entered court Friday morning, and a large crowd gathered outside the courthouse to await his statement.

“I could have made a different decision.”

Timberlake spoke outside the courtroom after Friday's proceedings.

“Many of you have probably covered me for a lot of my life, and as you may know, I try to hold myself to a very high standard. And this wasn't it. I found myself in a position where I made a different decision. could have,” Timberlake said.

Timberlake says he's had time to think about it.

“And so I want to tell everyone who's watching and listening, even if you've had one drink, don't get behind the wheel,” Timberlake added. “There are so many options. Call a friend. Take an Uber. There are so many travel apps. Still, take a taxi. It's a mistake I made, but I hope those watching and listening right now can learn from it. Know that I definitely have and like I said, not even one drink will go behind the wheel.”

Timberlake thanked the people of Sag Harbor for putting up with all the attention he's brought to the city.

“We can all be safer out there, and I'm going to do my part. I hope everyone else does their part,” Timberlake said.

Timberlake praised for pleading guilty, admitting mistakes

Timberlake's attorney said he was satisfied with the reduced charges, and disputed any reports that Timberlake was drunk when he was arrested.

Attorney Edward Burke said, “The evidence showed that my client finished one drink over two hours at the American Hotel.” “And contrary to what was reported, he didn't drink other people's drinks, or warn them not to drive. He wasn't rude. He wasn't spiteful. He wasn't belligerent. In fact, he was polite, he was cooperative, Throughout his encounters with law enforcement he was respectful, as they were of him.”

“Today, Mr. Timberlake has chosen to plead guilty and accept responsibility for driving while his ability was impaired by alcohol. We applaud his willingness to use his platform to hold himself accountable for his behavior and raise public awareness about the dangers of drunk driving. As previously stated, Mr. Timberlake received the same treatment as any other defendant, regardless of their wealth or celebrity, Tierney said . In 2024, with the prevalence and convenience of public transit and ride-sharing, there's no excuse for getting behind the wheel when you're impaired in any way.”

The family of Boy Scout Andrew McMorris, who was killed by a drunk driver in Long Island in 2018was inside the court.

“I think he was sincere, and I can only hope that his platform with everyone here will make a significant difference,” said mother Alyssa McMorris. “It gives me hope that maybe the next generation will be the generation that ends up driving drunk and impaired.”

Long Island defense attorney David Schwartz said with the plea deal, Timberlake was treated like every other first-time offender.

“The 90-day suspension is by law, the $500 fine is by law, and the judge threw in 25 hours of community service, which is completely normal,” he said.

Justin Timberlake arrested for DWI in Sag Harbor

Back on June 18, Timberlake was pulled over in Hampton Village He later drove through a stop sign and failed to stay on the right side of the road.

According to court documents, the arresting officer said he smelled alcohol on Timberlake's breath and that the pop star had bloodshot eyes, “performed poorly” on field sobriety tests and refused a breath test. Timberlake allegedly told the officer he had a martini earlier in the evening.

Timberlake was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. He was arrested later in the morning and released on his own recognizance.

Timberlake Appeared in court Aug. 2 and pleaded not guilty. At the hearing, a Sag Harbor village judge suspended his license to drive in New York, a standard practice in the state for DWI cases. Timberlake was in Germany at the time His world tour.

Timberlake's next stop on the tour is the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on September 28. He will then play Brooklyn's Barclays Center on October 7 before returning to the Prudential Center on October 8.