Justin Timberlake has driver’s license suspended over DWI arrest
The singer appeared at the hearing via video conference and pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, who was warned by the judge about his comments to the press, insists that the artist was not intoxicated
Two weeks after being arrested in the Hamptons area, east of New York, for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, Justin Timberlake appeared in court on Friday and received his punishment. After pleading not guilty, the singer had his driver’s license suspended in New York. It was not clear how long Timberlake would be without his driving privileges, but his lawyer told reporters the measure was “standard” with every DWI arrest. In these cases, driving licenses are typically suspended for around six months.
This is the second hearing of the trial, and there will be another one next Friday, August 9. The singer does not have to appear in person, but he may have to do so in another hearing scheduled for September 13. The first hearing took place last Friday, July 26, but Timberlake was not present. He was represented by his lawyer, Edward Burke Jr. This time, the former leader of N’Sync appeared via video conference as he is currently on his world tour, called Forget Tomorrow World Tour, which involves more than 80 concerts; this weekend he is playing in Antwerp, Belgium. Dressed in a black shirt, he was seen in what appeared to be a bedroom with wooden beams and cream-colored walls. In the video conference, he appeared very serious and attentive, answering a couple of questions from Sag Harbor Judge Carl Irace.
At the previous hearing, his lawyer tried to get the case dismissed by insisting that the singer was not intoxicated on the night of June 18, when he was stopped leaving a hotel after a dinner. However, Judge Irace does not agree with that account, and in fact, nor does agree with the actions of the lawyer, who has been making statements to the press. Indeed, the judge called on Burke to “be more mindful when giving comments” and has warned him that his actions “come off as an attempt to poison the case before it even begins.” The judge warned the lawyer that if he continues these practices, he will impose a gag order or even force Timberlake to return from Europe and appear in person in court.
According to the lawyer, in a statement shared with several media outlets, Timberlake was not only not driving under the influence of alcohol, but that “the police made a number of very significant errors in this case.” “Sometimes the police make mistakes and this is just one of those cases,” he said after leaving the hearing last week. “Justin respects law enforcement and the very important job they do,” Burke said. “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 the judge who were in court today. 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.”
In addition to for being arrested for driving while intoxicated on the night of June 18, Timberlake was also arrested for running a stop sign and for failing to keep his car in the lane. He was pulled over when he was leaving a hotel in the luxurious Hamptons area after having dinner with several friends. He was stopped by a young officer who did not recognize the singer of Cry Me a River, and taken to the police station, where he spent several hours and had his mugshot taken, which soon went viral.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition