Bodycam footage of pop star Justin Timberlake’s June 2024 arrest for driving under the influence in Sag Harbor, New York, was released Friday, following a settlement in his lawsuit seeking to block its publication. The release comes after Timberlake agreed to redactions of the footage, according to court records.
Timberlake, 45, was initially pulled over on June 18, 2024, and charged with driving although intoxicated, a misdemeanor. He subsequently pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of driving while ability impaired, an infraction, receiving a fine and being ordered to perform community service, and participated in a public safety announcement urging responsible driving.
The footage was published online by The Sag Harbor Express, a local news outlet that obtained it through a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request filed by its parent company, The Express News Group. The video depicts Timberlake being subjected to field sobriety tests on the side of a road after being stopped by police.
In the bodycam video, Timberlake is seen already outside his BMW SUV when an officer begins administering the tests. “Guys, I’m just following my friends back to my house,” he tells the officer, his speech appearing slow and slurred. “I’m not doing anything. I’m just following my friends back to my house.”
The footage shows Timberlake struggling to follow instructions during a walk-and-turn test, stepping off the designated line. “Sorry, I’m a little nervous,” he says, before exceeding the required number of steps. An officer is observed taking notes throughout the process. He also appeared to have difficulty with a test requiring him to lift his foot six inches off the ground and count aloud, stating, “Sorry, my heart is racing,” and adding, “These are like, really hard tests.” He was then placed in handcuffs and arrested.
Timberlake’s legal team initially filed a lawsuit in Suffolk County Supreme Court on March 3, 2026, seeking to prevent the release of the footage, arguing it would cause “severe and irreparable harm” to his reputation and constituted an “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” The complaint alleged the footage depicted Timberlake “in an acutely vulnerable state” and contained sensitive personal information, including familial and medical details. A temporary restraining order was granted, halting the release pending a court decision.
Acting Supreme Court Justice Joseph Farneti ultimately ruled that a redacted release of the footage did not constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy. The settlement reached between Timberlake’s lawyers and Sag Harbor officials stipulated that the edited footage would be permissible.
According to court filings from prosecutors, officers reported that Timberlake ran a stop sign at Madison Street and Jermain Avenue in Sag Harbor and failed to maintain his lane for several blocks prior to the stop. Prosecutors described Timberlake as having “bloodshot and glassy” eyes, a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, difficulty with divided attention, slowed speech, unsteady footing, and poor performance on standardized field sobriety tests.
Vincent Toomey, an attorney representing the Village of Sag Harbor, stated Friday that the village had consistently attempted to comply with FOIL mandates throughout the process. “As would be true in any case involving records or video footage from our Police Department, such material is reviewed and redacted to address public and officer safety concerns as well as personal privacy considerations,” Toomey said. “We are pleased that this matter has now been resolved and the Village will be able to comply with its statutory obligation to release the material that is subject to disclosure under FOIL.”
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