Justin Timberlake Seeks to Block Release of DWI Arrest Body Camera Footage
Justin Timberlake has filed a petition in an effort to prevent the public release of body camera footage from his June 18, 2024, traffic stop and arrest in Sag Harbor, New York.
The filing, submitted on March 2, comes months after Timberlake pleaded guilty to a reduced charge stemming from the incident. The singer was initially arrested after allegedly failing to stop at a stop sign and failing to keep to the right side of the road in the village of Sag Harbor, located in Southampton.
According to the petition, Timberlake’s legal team argues that the body camera footage captures the artist in what they describe as “an acutely vulnerable state during a roadside encounter with law enforcement,” including details of his physical appearance, demeanor, speech, and conduct. The filing also states that the footage includes material recorded during his confinement in the hours following the arrest.
The video is currently the subject of a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request, New York’s equivalent of a federal Freedom of Information Act request, submitted by several media outlets, including ABC News. Timberlake’s attorneys filed an emergency motion seeking to block the disclosure of the footage.
In the court documents, his legal team contends that releasing the footage would cause “severe and irreparable harm” to Timberlake’s reputation and expose him to harassment. They further argue that the material does not serve a “legitimate public interest in understanding the operations of government” and that making it public would amount to an “unwarranted invasion” of his personal privacy.
Timberlake’s representatives have not publicly commented beyond the court filing.
The arrest occurred in June 2024 after officers reported observing Timberlake driving through a stop sign and failing to remain on the proper side of the roadway for several blocks. He was initially charged with a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated (DWI) and pleaded not guilty at the time.
In September 2024, Timberlake agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of driving while impaired, a noncriminal traffic violation under New York law. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he was ordered to pay a $500 fine, complete between 25 and 40 hours of community service at a nonprofit organization of his choosing, and participate in a public safety campaign.
The case now centers on whether the body camera footage qualifies for public release under state transparency laws. Courts typically weigh privacy considerations against public interest when determining whether such material should be disclosed. Timberlake’s attorneys maintain that, because the case has already been resolved and does not involve broader allegations of misconduct by law enforcement, the footage does not meet the threshold for release.
A decision on the petition is pending.
