Justin Timberlake is set to enter a new plea Friday in his drunken driving case in the Hamptons, according to prosecutors. While details of the plea deal remain undisclosed, a source familiar with the matter revealed that Timberlake has agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge than the original driving while intoxicated offense. This information was shared under the condition of anonymity as the individual was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.
Timberlake’s attorney, Edward Burke, declined to offer any comments regarding the plea. The pop star is scheduled to appear in person at Sag Harbor Village Court on Friday to officially enter his plea, confirmed the Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office on Wednesday.
The singer was arrested on June 18 in Sag Harbor, located on the eastern end of Long Island, after police observed him running a stop sign in the village center, veering out of his lane, and exiting his BMW with the scent of alcohol on his breath. The 43-year-old native of Tennessee initially pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge of drunken driving.
During a hearing last month, a judge suspended Timberlake’s driving privileges in New York. Burke has argued that his client was not intoxicated and believes the charges should be dismissed.
Authorities report Timberlake was pulled over after departing a Sag Harbor hotel around 12:30 a.m. Police documents stated that Timberlake exhibited signs of intoxication, including bloodshot, glassy eyes, a strong smell of alcohol, slowed speech, unsteady posture, and poor performance in standardized field sobriety tests. Timberlake reportedly informed the officer that he had consumed one martini and was following friends home. He was subsequently arrested and spent the night in police custody.
Timberlake’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. A multi-faceted entertainer, Timberlake boasts a career that began as a Disney Mouseketeer and soared to fame with the boy band NSYNC before establishing himself as a successful solo artist in the early 2000s. He has earned 10 Grammy Awards throughout his career.
Sag Harbor, a former whaling village mentioned in Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick,” is nestled within the Hamptons, approximately 100 miles east of New York City.
