Police body cam footage from Justin Timberlake’s 2024 DWI arrest in Sag Harbor, New York, has been released.
On Friday (March 20), Sag Harbor police provided the redacted footage to news outlets that had submitted public records requests. The 45-year-old singer had initially sued to block the release of the footage but later agreed to the redactions as part of a settlement.
Timberlake was arrested in June 2024 on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. He ultimately pled guilty to a lesser impaired-driving charge and was sentenced to 25 hours of community service. He also recorded a public service announcement about the dangers of drinking and driving, urging, “Even if you’ve had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car.”
TMZ was among the first outlets to release the body cam footage, which shows the pop superstar struggling during a series of sobriety tests after being pulled over in a BMW SUV on the side of the road.
“Guys, I’m just following my friends back to my house,” he’s heard saying in slowed-down speech. “I’m not doing anything. I’m just following my friends back to my house.”
Timberlake is later instructed by officers to walk a straight line using nine heel-to-toe steps. “Sorry, I’m a little nervous,” the musician says, taking more steps than asked. During another test, in which he’s asked to lift one foot six inches off the ground and count aloud, Timberlake says, “Sorry, my heart is racing,” adding, “These are, like, really hard tests.” He is later placed in handcuffs and arrested.
In legal papers filed on March 2, Timberlake’s lawyers said the arrest footage depicted him in an “acutely vulnerable state” and that its release would “serve no legitimate public interest.” A Long Island judge ordered police not to release the videos until a court review could be completed.
In a statement shared with Billboard on March 20, the Village of Sag Harbor said, “We are pleased that this matter has now been resolved and the village will be able to comply with its statutory obligation to release the material that is subject to disclosure.”
“From the beginning of this matter, after Mr. Timberlake’s arrest, the village has attempted to comply with the mandates of the Freedom of Information Law,” the statement reads. “As would be true in any case involving records or video footage from our police department, such material is reviewed and redacted to address public and officer safety concerns as well as personal privacy considerations.”
