Justin Timberlake pleads guilty to lesser charge of drunk driving

Justin Timberlake addressed the media on Friday shortly after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of driving under the influence of alcohol in his Hamptons driving case.

The pop star, who has been back on tour since being stopped by police in June, was sentenced to 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit of his choice, a $500 fine plus a $260 surcharge and a requirement to make a public safety announcement about the dangers of driving under the influence.

He was arrested in June after allegedly failing to stop at a stop sign or staying in his lane as he left a dinner at the American Hotel after midnight. After refusing to take a breath test three times, he was automatically arrested and held overnight in jail. His license was suspended in August.

Outside the courthouse, Timberlake began with a PSA of sorts: “I want to say to everyone listening that you should not get behind the wheel of a car, even if you've only had one drink. There are so many alternatives.”

Timberlake's attorney, Edward Burke Jr., was the first to address the media, pointing out that “the evidence showed that my client drank the contents of one drink in a two-hour period at the American Hotel and, contrary to the reporting, he neither drank other people's drinks nor was warned in advance not to drive. He was not rude, he was not obnoxious, he was not belligerent. In fact, he was polite and cooperative and he was respectful throughout his encounter with law enforcement, just as they were respectful to him.”

He also stressed that driving under the influence of alcohol, unlike driving while under the influence of alcohol, is not a criminal charge.

And while Burke, whose office is in Sag Harbor, made a special effort to thank nearly every branch of Suffolk County law enforcement and courts, Timberlake was serious and self-critical in his speech.

“Many of you have probably covered me for much of my life,” said the singer, actor and businessman, “and as you may know, I try to set very high standards for myself. And that wasn't it. That wasn't that.”

He said he grew up in a small town and understands the strain his situation has put on the people of Sag Harbor.

He then thanked everyone involved in solving the case, adding: “I am very grateful and thank you. Finally, I would like to say that we can all be safer out there and I will do my part. I hope everyone else does their part.”

In court he told the judge: “I should have judged better. I understand the seriousness of the situation.”

In the police report, an officer said of Timberlake: “His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, ​​his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, he could not divide his attention, he spoke slowly, was unsteady on his feet and performed poorly on all standardized sobriety tests,” according to court documents obtained by the Times.

Page Six reported in June, citing anonymous sources, that the police officer who arrested the singer “was so young he didn't even know” who the 10-time Grammy winner was. Another source told the paper that when Justin was pulled over, he “quietly said, 'This is going to ruin the tour.' The police officer responded, 'What tour?' Justin said, 'The world tour.'” The remark went viral and, along with Timberlake's mugshot, became an instant meme.

The singer's “Forget Tomorrow” world tour will continue with a show on September 28 in Newark, New Jersey, and will run until June 2025.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.