Justin Timberlake is expected to appear personally in court in the Hamptons on Friday in his drunk-driving case, amid reports that the pop star will admit to a traffic violation.
Timberlake’s expected appearance in local court in Sag Harbor – the seaside playground area for the rich and famous out on New York’s scenic Long Island peninsula – stems from his 18 June arrest after he allegedly drove through a stop sign and swerved out of his lane. The singer was charged with the misdemeanor offense of driving while intoxicated (DWI).
“His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath, he was unable to divide attention, he had slowed speech, he was unsteady afoot, and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests,” the police said in a criminal complaint against Timberlake.
Timberlake pleaded not guilty during a virtual court appearance in August. The judge overseeing the case suspended the driving license of the singer-songwriter, producer and member of the enduring band ‘NSync.
The Suffolk county prosecutor’s office said Timberlake is anticipated to enter a plea during his appearance later this week, meaning he would be there in person.
ABC News on Wednesday reported that Timberlake has brokered a deal to resolve his DWI proceeding, including pleading guilty and paying a fine, ending the misdemeanor case. TMZ reported that Timberlake’s agreement does not involve admission to drunk driving or any criminal count – and that he was only poised to admit to a traffic violation.
Neither the Suffolk county prosecutor’s office, nor Timberlake’s attorney, commented on these reports.
Edward Burke Jr, the high-profile attorney representing Timberlake, said at a prior court appearance that the star maintained his innocence.
“Justin should not have been arrested for driving while intoxicated. The police made a number of significant errors in this case,” Burke told reporters outside court, saying that police can make mistakes “like every one of us”.