Justin Timberlake’s lawyer claims he was ‘not intoxicated’ during DWI arrest as singer will face judge at next hearing
JUSTIN Timberlake’s DWI case was heard Friday morning in New York.
A court clerk told The U.S. Sun that Justin’s case concluded for the day and would be adjourned until next Friday; meanwhile, his attorney and the Suffolk County DA provided statements.
Justin’s attorney, Ed Burke Jr., gave The U.S. Sun a statement about the case on Friday.
“The most important fact to know about this case is that Justin was not intoxicated and should not have been arrested for DWI.
“The police made a number of very significant errors in this case.
“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,” the attorney said, discussing what transpired during Friday morning’s hearing.
“Justin respects law enforcement and the very important job that they do. He cooperated with the police officers at all times and treated them with the respect they deserve. He also respects the entire judicial process including the District Attorney and Judge who were in court today,” he added.
“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,” the statement concluded.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office fired back their response to Justin’s defense.
“Following the arrest of Justin Timberlake, the District Attorney’s Office located a ministerial error in the original accusatory instrument,” the statement began.
“Thereafter, on July 2, 2024, an amended accusatory instrument was filed correcting that error.
“The facts and circumstance of the case have not been changed or amended,” the DA’s office claimed.
“Mr. Timberlake is scheduled to be arraigned on the amended accusatory instrument… via a virtual appearance at Sag Harbor Village Justice Court.
“We stand ready to litigate the underlying facts of this case in court, rather than in the press,” their statement concluded.
The Sexy Back singer did not attend Friday’s hearing.
The hearing, expected to begin at 9:30 am, started late, as a court clerk informed The U.S. Sun that the judge on the case was “running behind.”
Also on Friday, Audacy announced its 2024 lineup for its We Can Survive annual event supporting the company’s mental health initiative, with Justin, 43, headlining the big event.
“Superstar Justin Timberlake will be joined by mega boy band New Kids On The Block, singer-songwriter Tate McRae, multi-instrumentalist Benson Boone, R&B crooner Khalid and emerging artist Isabel LaRosa at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, on Saturday, September 28,” the release read.
Justin is currently on his Forget Tomorrow world tour and will be performing tonight in Krakow, Poland.
He was arrested for driving while intoxicated in the Hamptons in the early hours of June 18th.
Timberlake's Criminal Attorney to the Stars
Justin Timberlake hired Sag Harbor legal eagle Ed Burke Jr for his DWI case
Justin’s attorney has represented a gamut of notable names out east.
In 2015, the attorney represented a pre #MeToo era Matt Lauer in his fight with his Water Mill neighbors to plant trees along his property in an effort to combat noise from adjoining properties that were spooking his horses.
In 2017, Ed represented Harvey Weinstein in a fender bender incident in a parking lot in the Hamptons, where the disgraced movie mogul allegedly tried to drive away.
In 2001, he represented Lizzie Grubman, a nightlife publicist whose car careened into a crowd of 16 people in front of a Hamptons club, before fleeing the scene.
The singer was seen at the American Hotel, an exclusive summer destination for celebrities on Long Island, with his pals the prior evening.
Justin was spotted driving his grey 2025 BMW UT, which matches the police’s description in their report on a local live stream traffic camera.
Police said the NSYNC frontman went through a stop sign and veered out of his lane.
In the footage of Justin’s car driving through Sag Harbor, he was seen driving behind a black sedan, allegedly driven by friends, after he had left the five-star hotel.
Police say that, as they observed him, he was failing to drive in a straight line, so they pulled him over.
Cops say the pop star’s eyes were “bloodshot and glassy” and he had a “strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.”
According to court documents, police claimed Justin “had slowed speech, he was unsteady afoot and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests.”
He told police he had one martini and was following a friend home.
Justin was slightly smiling in his mugshot, and his eyes looked bloodshot.
Justin was charged with one count of DWI and cited for running a stop sign and failing to keep in his lane.
Justin refused to take a breathalyzer test at the time of his arrest.
JUSTIN’S NIGHT OUT
A source at the time had told TMZ, “Nobody was hurt and there was no drama at the scene.”
The insider said that there were police stationed outside the hotel, as they usually are, and were looking for people who were leaving after midnight and who might’ve had drinks.
According to a Page Six source: “His friends were telling the police, ‘Let him go, let him go.”
The officer was so young that he claimed to have no idea who Justin Timberlake was and didn’t know he was on tour.
An insider said during the arrest “Justin said under his breath, ‘This is going to ruin the tour.’ With the young cop replying, ‘What tour?’ Justin said, ‘The world tour.’”
He was released on his own recognizance after a short hearing at the village courthouse, the Suffolk County, New York, district attorney’s office told The U.S. Sun at the time.
The singer’s wife, actress Jessica Biel, showed her support for the frontman.
In the immediate aftermath of his arrest, Jessica attended Justin’s first post-bust concert in New York City at Madison Square Garden.