A judge has temporarily sided with Justin Timberlake in a legal dispute over whether body camera footage from his 2024 drunk driving arrest should be made public.

On Thursday, Joseph Farneti, a Suffolk County judge in New York, approved a temporary restraining order that blocks the release of the footage for now.

The decision pauses any disclosure while the court reviews the case filed by Timberlake against the Sag Harbor Village Police Department.

The order gives officials in Sag Harbor, located on Long Island, until April 9 to provide documents explaining why the footage should be released, Variety reported.

Timberlake's lawsuit, filed earlier this week, also names Police Chief Robert Drake and the Village of Sag Harbor as defendants.

His legal team argues that making the footage public would cause "severe and irreparable harm" to the singer's reputation.

According to court filings, the attorneys said releasing the video could expose Timberlake to "public ridicule and harassment" while offering little benefit to the public.

They also claim the footage would "constitute an unwarranted invasion" of the star's privacy and would not help people better understand how the police department operates.

Justin Timberlake Admits 'Mistake'

The dispute stems from Timberlake's arrest in June 2024, when officers stopped the pop star after he was seen weaving out of his lane and failing to obey a stop sign.

The arresting officer reported that Timberlake's eyes appeared "bloodshot" and "glassy," and that he struggled during a field sobriety test.

According to Yahoo, Timberlake told police he had consumed one martini before driving. He also declined to take a Breathalyzer test at the scene.

Three months later, the case was resolved when Timberlake pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of driving while ability impaired. The original accusation had been a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated.

As part of the plea agreement, the singer paid a $500 fine and was ordered to complete between 25 and 40 hours of community service.

During the court hearing, Timberlake addressed the judge directly and admitted he made a mistake.

"I did not live up to the standards that I try to hold for myself," he said. "I should've had better judgment... I understand the seriousness of this."

Outside the courthouse, the Grammy-winning artist also used the moment to warn others about the dangers of drinking and driving.

"Even if you had one drink, don't get behind the wheel of a car," Timberlake told reporters.

"There's so many alternatives. Call a friend, take an Uber. Take a taxi. This is a mistake that I made, but I'm hoping that whoever's watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake."

Originally published on Music Times

Tags
Justin Timberlake