Justin Timberlake battles to stop footage of his arrest from being released

Authorities in Sag Harbor have decided, for now, not to release the police body-cam footage that captured singer Justin Timberlake’s 2024 arrest for driving after drinking. The decision comes after the artist filed a legal petition seeking to prevent the nearly eight hours of recordings — taken during the traffic stop and the hours following his arrest — from being made public.

Timberlake’s arrest dates back to 18 June 2024. Police stopped him in Sag Harbor, New York, after he allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign. According to officers, he also drove for several blocks without keeping to the correct side of the road. He was initially charged with a misdemeanour count of driving while intoxicated, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Authorities said the release of the footage has been delayed while discussions continue with the singer’s lawyers in search of a possible resolution. Initially, the police department planned to publish the footage on Tuesday. The move followed a Freedom of Information request filed by several media organisations, including ABC News.

In court documents filed on 2 March, Timberlake’s legal team argues that the recordings show the artist in a “particularly vulnerable” moment during his interaction with officers. According to the filing, the footage includes details about his physical appearance, behaviour and speech. It also captures his condition during the hours following the arrest. His lawyers claim releasing it would amount to an unjustified invasion of his privacy.

The singer’s defence also argues that making the material public could cause “severe and irreparable” damage to his reputation. They also say it could expose him to media and public harassment. In their view, releasing the footage would not serve any legitimate public interest in understanding how government institutions operate. For that reason, they have formally requested that the recordings sought by the media be withheld.

Beyond the possibility of the footage going viral, the case was resolved some time ago. In September 2024, the artist agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge: driving while impaired. As part of the agreement, Timberlake must pay a $500 fine, record a public service announcement on road safety and complete up to 40 hours of community service at a non-profit organisation of his choosing.

Justin Timberlake makes his Lyme disease diagnosis public.