Timberlake ‘not intoxicated’ during arrest, lawyer says
Justin Timberlake’s lawyer has claimed that the pop star was “not intoxicated” when he was arrested last month by police officers for driving under the influence.
The 43-year-old pop star was detained in New York for running a stop sign and failing to stay on the right side of the road.
At his first court hearing on Friday, his lawyer Edward Burke stated that the police made “a very significant number of errors” in handling the case.
“The most important fact to know about this case is that Justin was not intoxicated and should not have been arrested for DWI,” Burke emphasized.
Speaking outside Sag Harbor Village Justice Court, Mr. Burke mentioned that Timberlake “respects law enforcement” and cooperates with the officers at all times.
“But the fact remains, he was not intoxicated, and they made an error in arresting him for it. We are confident that this charge will be dismissed.”
Timberlake was not present at the hearing as it coincided with the start of his Everything I Thought It Was world tour, which kicked off at the Tauron Arena in Krakow.
He will be re-arraigned virtually in court next month.
The arrest took place in Sag Harbor in the Hamptons, a popular summer destination for celebrities on Long Island.
When officers stopped him, Timberlake’s eyes were “bloodshot and glassy” and a “strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath”, according to a charging document.
His speech was slowed and he performed poorly on the officers’ sobriety tests, the document said.
He also refused a breathalyzer test, it added.
“I had one martini and I followed my friends home,” Timberlake allegedly told the officer who stopped him, according to the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
Timberlake has previously spoken openly about seeking help for excessive drinking.
In New York, penalties for charges related to driving while intoxicated include up to a year in jail, a $1,000 (£786) fine, and the suspension of a driver’s license for at least six months.
