Justin Timberlake appeared in court Friday in connection to his June DWI arrest.
The former *NSYNC star pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was given community service, 25–40 hours.
Timberlake reached a plea agreement with prosecutors before the hearing. Details of the agreement weren’t disclosed, but a person with knowledge of the deal said Timberlake has agreed to admit guilt to a lesser offense of “driving while ability impaired,” a traffic violation that carries a $300 to $500 fine and a 90-day license suspension.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE EXPECTED TO CUT PLEA DEAL IN DWI CASE
Timberlake arrived to court wearing black sunglasses and accessorized with a double strand pearl necklace. The musician was joined by an entourage of people – including his lawyer, Ed Burke Jr., bodyguards and his music manager, Johnny Wright.
When pulled over by authorities the morning of June 18, Timberlake “performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests,” the arresting officer claimed in documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Timberlake had “bloodshot and glossy” eyes, a “strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath” and he was “unable to divide attention,” according to the complaint. The “Cry Me A River” singer also exhibited “slowed speech” and was “unsteady afoot.”
Ed Burke Jr., Timberlake’s lawyer, previously claimed police made “significant errors” during the musician’s June arrest.
WATCH: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE DRIVING IN THE HAMPTONS AHEAD OF DWI ARREST
“The most important fact to know about this case is that Justin was not intoxicated and should not have been arrested for DWI,” Burke said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The police made a number of very significant errors in this case. In court today, you heard the district attorney try to fix one of those errors. But that’s just one, and there are many others. Sometimes the police make mistakes, and this is just one of those instances.”
Timberlake was originally charged with one count of driving while intoxicated along with citations for failure to keep right and failure to stop at a stop sign, the district attorney’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The pop star told the arresting officer he had one martini and was following some friends home, according to the documents. After being arrested and taken to a police station in nearby East Hampton, he refused a breath test, according to the court papers, which listed his occupation as “professional” and said he’s “self-employed.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) called out Timberlake’s plea deal.
“MADD does not support plea deals in cases involving impaired driving, as we believe justice should be fully served for such a serious crime,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Driving while impaired is a dangerous and reckless choice that puts lives at risk, and the consequences should reflect the gravity of that decision. Plea deals diminish the severity of impaired driving, which is a violent crime that kills and injures thousands of people every year.”
“MADD has asked for Mr. Timberlake to do the right thing by using his significant platform to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving and help prevent this crime,” the statement continued. “Though it has been reported that Mr. Timberlake will produce a PSA with MADD, we have not been formally contacted by his representatives. MADD will continue to advocate for justice and accountability in every impaired driving case, and we hope Timberlake’s future decisions reflect the seriousness of this issue and contribute meaningfully to our cause.”
Timberlake addressed his drunk driving arrest days after it happened at his Chicago stop of “The Forget The World Tomorrow Tour.”
“It’s been a tough week,” the 10-time Grammy winner told fans at the United Center during his first performance following the arrest. “I know I’m hard to love sometimes, but you keep loving me right back.”
The “Bye Bye Bye” singer took some heat earlier this year when Britney Spears wrote about their relationship in her memoir. The pop star alleged the former couple had an abortion, and she addressed Timberlake’s infamous “Cry Me A River” music video which featured a Spears look-a-like.
Spears claimed she was painted as a “harlot who’d broken the heart of America’s golden boy” by the media.
Timberlake took the stage shortly after and seemingly responded to Spears, saying, “I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize to absolutely f—— nobody.”
The Associated Press and Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
Read the full article here
