Update 9/13/24: Justin Timberlake is speaking out after accepting a plea deal on Sept. 13.
In his first statement since being arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated in June, Timberlake said he has learned from his mistakes and urged others to learn from his mistakes as well.
“I try to hold myself to a very high standard. … And this was not that,” Timberlake told reporters, according to Entertainment Tonight. “I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision. I’ve had some time to reflect on that.”
Timberlake then shared a message to everyone, urging people to never drink and drive, even if you had just one drink. “There are so many alternatives.”
The singer pleaded guilty to driving while ability impaired, a traffic violation, CBS News reported. He was initially charged with and pleaded not guilty to driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, The Associated Press reported.
He must pay a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge and complete 25 hours of community service, CBS News reported.
The original story is below.
Nearly three months after being arrested Justin Timberlake has reportedly agreed to a plea deal.
On June 18, Timberlake was arrested during a traffic stop while driving through Sag Harbor, New York.
At the time of the arrest, the officer said Timberlake’s “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.”
Now, The New York Times is reporting that he is expected to plead guilty to a lesser offense.
A spokesperson for the Suffolk County district attorney’s office, told The Times that he will enter the plea in person on Sept. 13. What Timberlake is expected to plead guilty to has not been made public.
In a statement shared shared with Deadline in June, Timberlake’s attorney Edward Burke Jr. said, “I look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Timberlake on these allegations. I will have a lot to say at the appropriate time but am currently awaiting full discovery from the District Attorney’s office.”
Burke Jr.’s statement comes after the arrest reported obtained by People revealed that Timberlake reportedly told police, “I had one martini and I followed my friends home,” during the traffic stop.
According to the report, police said Timberlake drove a 2025 BMW through a stop sign and “failed to keep on the right side of the roadway.”