A Long Island judge has temporarily halted the release of bodycam footage capturing the arrest of pop star Justin Timberlake on charges of drunk driving in the Hamptons. The footage, belonging to the Sag Harbor police, will remain under wraps for the time being.
On Thursday, Acting Suffolk County Judge Joseph Farneti issued a temporary restraining order, while also instructing Sag Harbor officials to present their case by April 9 on why the footage should be made public. This decision came to light through recently unveiled court documents.
Timberlake, age 45 and once the lead singer of NSYNC, filed a lawsuit earlier this week aiming to prevent the footage’s release. He argues that making it public would violate his privacy and could severely damage his reputation.
The lawsuit further contends that the video would reveal Timberlake in a particularly vulnerable state following his night out at the upscale American Hotel.
Meanwhile, his arrest photo, depicting a glassy-eyed Timberlake, has already made waves across social media platforms.
His police arrest photo, which showed him glassy-eyed, instantly went viral.
The “SexyBack” singer’s embarrassing June 18, 2024 arrest was settled months later when he agreed to perform community service and issue a public apology as part of a plea deal.
He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of driving while impaired instead of the more serious charge of driving while intoxicated.
“This is a mistake that I made, but I’m hoping that whoever is watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake,” he said as he left the courthouse after sentencing in September 2024.
Lawyers for Sag Harbor declined comment Thursday.
An email to Timberlake’s legal team was not immediately returned.
