Pop star Justin Timberlake is used to being in videos, but is fighting the release of a video showing his Arrest in 2024.
Timberlakeās lawyers filed a lawsuit Monday against the village of Sag Harbor and its police department. They are seeking to block the release of police body camera footage from his drunken driving Arrest in New Yorkās Hamptons in 2024, per NewsNation.
The lawyers argued the videoās release lwould ādevastateā Timberlakeās privacy by revealing āintimate, highly personal, and sensitive details.ā
The lawyers also allege releasing the video would cause āsevere and irreparable harmā to his reputation by subjecting him to āpublic ridicule and harassment.ā
āThe footage at issue depicts Petitioner in an acutely vulnerable state during a roadside encounter with law enforcement, capturing intimate details of Petitionerās physical appearance, demeanor, speech, and conduct during field sobriety testing, the subsequent Arrest, and Petitionerās confinement following Arrest over the next several hours,ā the lawsuit read.
Judge Joseph Farneti asked the two sides to seek a possible resolution and report back later in the week.
Timberlake, a singer with NSYNC who turned into a solo artist and actor, pleaded guilty to impaired driving in September 2024. Police said he ran a stop sign in the village center and veered out of his lane. Police said he smelledof alcohol when got out of his BMW.
He told officers he had had one martini and had been following some friends home in Sag Harbor.
As part of his plea deal, Timberlake agreed to give a public safety announcement against the perils of drunken driving. This knocked down his initial misdemeanor charge to a noncriminal traffic violation.
He was also sentenced to a $500 fine, 25 hours of community service and a 90-day suspension of his license.
āEven if youāve had one drink, donāt get behind the wheel of a car,ā Timberlake said following his court appearance. āThis is a mistake that I made, but Iām hoping that whoever is watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have.ā
Timberlakeās lawyers said in the lawsuit they were notified Sunday that village officials intended to release some of the footage ā with certain redactions ā to comply with public records requests.
The total footage runs about eight hours and includes Timberlakeās initial stop, police questioning, the administration of field sobriety tests and his Arrest.
Sag Harbor Mayor Thomas Gardella said village officials have reviewed the footage to ensure nothing would be released that could put police or the public at risk.
āWeāre trying to be as transparent as can be with this footage,ā he said, noting that the stateās public records law generally requires release of police body camera footage.
