Justin Timberlake is suing the wealthy New York village of Sag Harbor to stop the release of police body camera footage from his 2024 DWI arrest. The pop star’s lawyers say that making the eight-hour video public, which shows his field sobriety tests, arrest, and detention, would violate his privacy and hurt his reputation beyond repair by making fun of him in public.
Timberlake was pulled over in Sag Harbor on June 18, 2024, after running a stop sign, going off the road, and getting out of his BMW while smelling like alcohol. He told the police that he had one martini and was going home with friends from the American Hotel. In September 2024, he admitted to a minor traffic offense and was given community service, a fine, and a 90-day suspension of his license.
The complaint was filed on Monday in Suffolk County Supreme Court against Sag Harbor and its police department because they planned to release redacted footage in response to requests for public records. Timberlake’s lawyers say it shows him in a “vulnerable state” and includes “intimate details” about how he looks, talks, and acts. They want the court to keep it secret forever.
A judge in Riverhead heard both sides’ arguments but put off making a decision. He told both sides to work out a solution by the end of the week. Timberlake wants to put this behind him, so no decision was made right away about what would happen to the footage. This well-known fight brings to light the issue of privacy rights for celebrities versus the need for public records to be open in wealthy Hamptons communities.
