Singer Justin Timberlake appeared virtually for his court hearing on Friday as he was in Europe for a world tour. The singer pleaded not guilty during his second arraignment on DWI charges. Timberlake, 43, looked serious and sombre, wearing a black button-down shirt as he attended the court session remotely due to his tour commitments.
Police stopped Timberlake at 12:30 a.m., about 100 miles outside of New York City. According to police, the former NSYNC member’s BMW did not stop at a stop sign and stayed out of the lane. The officer who arrested him also noticed that Timberlake’s eyes were red and glassy, and he smelled of alcohol on his breath. Police alleged that Timberlake told him he had only had one martini.
The judge suspended Timberlake’s license after he pleaded not guilty, as is standard practice in New York for drunk driving offenses.
During this period, he also refused to take a breath test three times while being taken into custody for drug-related offenses such as driving under the influence (DUI), according to all legal records provided by the courts in Sag Harbor.
Justin Timberlake was arrested for DWI while driving through the Hamptons in June. As a result, his driving license in New York was temporarily revoked by the village judge.
Timberlake’s attorney, Edward J. Burke Jr., indicated he would enter a plea and let the subject matter “speak for itself.”
He also said that they are waiting for the prosecution and all their obligations to be completed before anything can move ahead. “We are waiting for the prosecution to certify the discovery, complete their obligations and then we will move ahead,” he told reporters outside the court.
It is anticipated that the case will return to court on August 9, and Justin may also be required to appear in person during the September hearing.
Sag Harbor residents had varying reactions to the incident, with some expressing disappointment in Timberlake, while others defended him, arguing that celebrities are always under the close eye of the public. A day after his detention, Justin Timberlake spoke about the allegations while performing in Chicago, saying it had been a tough week for him.
Also read: Justin Timberlake’s lawyer is confident the case will be dismissed because the singer ‘was not intoxicated’ when he was arrested for DWI
