Justin Timberlake sues Sag Harbor police to block bodycam footage release from DWI arrest
Justin Timberlake is suing Sag Harbor village in an attempt to prohibit the release of bodycam footage from his 2024 arrest, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Timberlake, 45, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to "driving while ability impaired," and received community service in addition to offering a public apology as part of a plea agreement.
The "Can't Stop The Feeling" singer filed a petition Monday against the Sag Harbor Village Police Department; Robert Drake, in his official capacity as the chief of police of the Sag Harbor Village Police Department; and the Village of Sag Harbor to prevent eight hours of footage from the night Timberlake was arrested from being disseminated to the public.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE'S LAWYER CLAIMS POLICE MADE ‘SIGNIFICANT ERRORS’ DURING STAR'S DWI ARREST
In the petition, Timberlake's legal team claimed they were notified on March 1 of the department's intention to respond to a request under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) to release all eight hours of bodycam footage from his June 18, 2024, arrest, which were subject to "undisclosed redactions for ‘medical’ reasons and for the security of the Sag Harbor police complex."
Timberlake argued that the footage "contains personally identifying information and private details that are not germane to any law enforcement action of public concern and that would not otherwise be visible to the public but for the presence and recording of law enforcement officers."
"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," the petition stated.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
"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."
Timberlake requested the court "prohibit the disclosure of the body-worn camera footage in whole, or in part, as an unwarranted invasion of privacy not subject to disclosure under FOIL."
"The harm from public exposure—stigma, harassment, reputational injury, and the permanent loss of privacy—is immediate and irreparable," documents stated.
When pulled over by authorities the morning of June 18, Timberlake "performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests," the arresting officer claimed in documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Timberlake had "bloodshot and glossy" eyes, a "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath" and he was "unable to divide attention," according to the complaint. The "Cry Me A River" singer also exhibited "slowed speech" and was "unsteady afoot."
Timberlake's lawyer, Edward Burke Jr., previously claimed police made "significant errors" during the musician's June arrest.
WATCH: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE DRIVING IN THE HAMPTONS AHEAD OF DWI ARREST
"The most important fact to know about this case is that Justin was not intoxicated and should not have been arrested for DWI," Burke said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The police made a number of very significant errors in this case. In court today, you heard the district attorney try to fix one of those errors. But that’s just one, and there are many others. Sometimes the police make mistakes, and this is just one of those instances."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Shortly after Timberlake pleaded guilty, he apologized for his actions in a public plea.
"This is a mistake that I made, but I'm hoping that whoever's watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake," Timberlake said. "I know that I certainly have. And like I said, even one drink, don't get behind the wheel of a car."
Timberlake was originally charged with one count of driving while intoxicated along with citations for failure to keep right and failure to stop at a stop sign, the district attorney's office confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time.
The pop star told the arresting officer he had one martini and was following some friends home, according to the documents. After being arrested and taken to a police station in nearby East Hampton, he refused a breath test, according to the court papers, which listed his occupation as "professional" and said he's "self-employed."
Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.