Justin Timberlake Files Petition To Halt Release Of Video From Night Of Hamptons DWI Arrest: Court Docs

SAG HARBOR, NY — Justin Timberlake's attorneys have filed a petition to stop the Village of Sag Harbor from releasing a video of the night he was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated in June, 2024, according to court documents.

Timberlake entered a plea deal in September, 2024, pleading guilty to driving while ability impaired, an infraction; the prosecution said the pop star would be mak ing a public safety announcement against driving while intoxicated that would have a worldwide impact. He was also ordered by the judge to perform 25 hours of community service.

Monday's petition, filed with the New York State Supreme Court against the Sag Harbor Village Police Department, Sag Harbor Police Chief Robert Drake, and the Village of Sag Harbor by Timberlake's attorneys Edward J. Burke, Jr. and Michael del Piano, came after Freedom of Information Law requests from media organizations.

When contacted by Patch, Edward Burke Jr. said he had no comment.

The petition stated that the intention to disseminate the body-worn camera footage from Timberlake's traffic stop and arrest on June 18, 2024 "constitutes an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy under Public Officers Law."

Also, the petition states: "The footage at issue depicts petitioner in an acutely vulnerable state during a roadside encounter with law enforcement, capturing intimate details of petitioner’s physical appearance, demeanor, speech, and conduct during field sobriety testing, the subsequent arrest, and petitioner’s confinement following arrest over the next several hours."

(Courtesy Sag Harbor Village Police Department)

The petition continued: "Public dissemination of this footage would cause severe and irreparable harm to Petitioner's personal and professional reputation, subject Petitioner to public ridicule and harassment, and serve no legitimate public interest in understanding the operations of government. Disclosure of this footage would constitute an unwarranted invasion of Petitioner’s personal privacy under Public Officers Law. The privacy interests at stake decisively outweigh any purported public benefit from disclosure, and this court should exercise its authority to prevent the release of this highly sensitive material."

Attorneys were bringing forth the Article 78 proceeding to prevent the dissemination of the video, the petition said.

According to the petition, on June 18, 2024, Timberlake was operating a motor vehicle in the town of Sag Harbor when he was stopped by officers of the Sag Harbor Village Police Department.

"During the stop, responding officers activated body-worn cameras that recorded the entirety of the encounter, including the initial stop, questioning of Petitioner, administration of standardized field sobriety tests, and Petitioner’s subsequent arrest. . . the footage at issue contains the initial stop, questioning of Petitioner, administration of standardized field sobriety tests, and Petitioner’s subsequent arrest. Upon information and belief, the bodycam footage captures approximately eight hours of continuous recording and encroaches upon areas of Petitioner’s life and emotional state that have no relevance at all to Petitioner’s arrest," the petition states.

The petition states that the respondents notified Burke of "its intention to respond to a request under the Freedom of Information Law to release all eight hours of bodycam footage, subject to undisclosed redactions for "medical" reasons and for the security of the Sag Harbor police complex."

On March 1, attorneys for Timberlake provided written objections to disclosure "asserting that release of the bodycam footage would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy," the petition said.

Also on March 1, the respondents verbally told Burke that the objections were denied and that the records, including the body-cam footage, would be released on Monday, the petition said.

That release was stayed, due to Monday's petition.

According to that petition, the scope or extent of the footage to be released has not been disclosed; the redactions, and whether greater redactions are warranted, have also not been been disclosed, Timberlake's attorneys said.

During court proceedings, Timberlake expressed remorse, saying he made a poor decision that night. "Even if have you have one drink, don't get behind the wheel," he said, suggesting people take a taxi or a rideshare or call a friend He said he, too, comes from a small town and understands the strain the proceedings had taken on the Sag Harbor community.

He said since he was a boy, he's held himself to a "very high standard. This was not that. I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision, but I'd have some time to reflect on that. This was a mistake that I made. But I'm hoping that whoever is watching or listening can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have."

He said he was grateful and understood the seriousness of what might have transpired, and looked forward to using his platform internationally to spread the word and raise awareness about not drinking and driving.

Sag Harbor Judge Carl Irace said he heard Timberlake's sincerity. "I believe you," he said.

Timberlake, both in the court and addressing the media, said he was grateful. "I'm going to do my part. I hope that everyone else does their part."

Timberlake's attorney Burke Jr. also spoke. He said in the past he has said, "My client was not driving intoxicated."

After much discussion and a thorough review of the evidence, Burke said, in 2024, "Today the district attorney's office correctly agreed to not move forward with that charge. The evidence revealed that my client finished the contents of one drink in two hours at The American Hotel."

Contrary to what some outlets reported, Burke said, at the time, that he "wasn't drinking other people's drinks, or warned in advance not to drive. He wasn't rude. He wasn't obnoxious. He wasn't belligerent. In fact, he was polite. He was cooperative and he was respectful during his entire encounter with law enforcement, as they were to him."

The plea "to a reduced and amended non-criminal charge, a traffic violation, is consistent with these facts and full acceptance of responsibility for them," Burke said.

Burke said the case unfolded right across the street from his office – The American Hotel and Sag Harbor justice court are a short geographic distance away . "But I believe we'll have a message that will travel long distances and extend far and wide. Because it's that message coming from Justin himself, of what's in his head and in his heart."

"Today, Mr. Timberlake chose to plead guilty and accept responsibility for driving while his ability was impaired by alcohol," said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney at the time. "We appreciate his willingness to hold himself accountable for his behavior, and for using his platform to increase public awareness about the dangers of drunk driving. As previously stated, Mr. Timberlake received the same treatment as any other defendant. Justice should be applied equally to all individuals, regardless of their wealth or celebrity status. Drunk and drugged driving is an extremely serious nationwide public safety issue. These drivers threaten the lives of random and innocent roadway users of every age, gender, ethnicity, and economic status. In 2024, with the prevalence and convenience of public transit and ride-shares, there is no excuse to get behind the wheel when you are impaired in any way."

According to a Sag Harbor Village Police representative, Timberlake, 43, was arrested in the "early morning hours" on June 18, 2024 on a misdemeanor DWI charge and was arraigned.

Sag Harbor police said that at 12:37 a.m. Timberlake, of Tennessee, was seen driving a 2025 BMW southbound on Madison Street and failing to stop at a duly posted stop sign, as well as failing to maintain his lane of travel.

A Sag Harbor Village police officer initiated a traffic stop and, upon investigation, determined that Timberlake was driving while intoxicated. He was placed under arrest, processed, and held overnight for morning arraignment, police said, the same protocol as in any other DWI arrest.

Timberlake was arraigned at Sag Harbor Village Justice Court and released on his own recognizance, police said.

Burke had initially filed a motion to have the case dismissed "on an insufficient accusatory instrument" — because the original charging document did not have a sergeant's signature, he said.