Nobody would want their bodycam footage from a DUI arrest released to the public, especially if your name is Justin Timberlake. After his June 18, 2024, arrest, Timberlake's mugshot and reported quotes from the scene of the crime went viral, but it turns out we might see the whole arrest if the video goes public. His lawyer is doing everything to stop that from happening, though.
© GettyImagesNearly two years after his arrest, Timberlake's tipsy night is back in the news. According to court documents obtained by Page Six, the "Sexy Back" singer has sued the Village of Sag Harbor in an effort to block the release of police bodycam video tied to his drunk driving arrest.
The footage is currently the subject of a Freedom of Information Act request filed by media outlets. Timberlake’s legal team argues the public doesn’t need to see what happened during that roadside stop.
In the filing, the singer claims he is shown “in an acutely vulnerable state during a roadside encounter with law enforcement.” His attorney, Michael Del Piano, reportedly says the video captures “intimate details” of Timberlake’s “physical appearance, demeanor, speech, and conduct” during the field sobriety test, arrest, and confinement - and that releasing it would cause “severe and irreparable harm” to his “personal and professional reputation.”
© GettyImagesIt's no surprise people want to see Timberlake’s arrest, especially to hear him say one line in particular. Bodycam footage details revealed that during the stop, he allegedly muttered, “This is going to ruin the tour.” When the officer asked, “What tour?” Timberlake replied, “The world tour.”
© HandoutAt the time, he was gearing up for his massive Forget Tomorrow World Tour, marking his return to global stages after years away. The comment quickly went viral.
Police alleged Timberlake ran a stop sign and swerved between lanes while driving his 2025 BMW after a night out. Though he reportedly told officers he’d had just one martini, the arresting officer claimed he failed field sobriety tests and showed signs of impairment. His mugshot, bloodshot, glassy eyes, and all, quickly circulated online.
The arrest came with another hilarious detail when insiders claimed the officer who pulled him over was “so young that he didn’t even know who Timberlake was.
Timberlake initially pleaded not guilty to driving while intoxicated but later agreed to plead guilty to driving while ability impaired by alcohol, a lesser, noncriminal charge. He was ordered to 25 hours of community service for a charity of his choosing, fined $500 plus a $260 surcharge, and had his New York driver’s license suspended for 90 days.
Outside the court, he struck a different tone than the viral “ruin the tour” moment.“What I’d like to say to everyone watching and listening, even if you’ve had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car,” he said. “There are so many alternatives. Call a friend, take an Uber… This is a mistake that I made.”
Now, his lawsuit argues the bodycam footage serves “no legitimate public interest in understanding the operations of government” and that releasing it would be an “unwarranted invasion” of privacy.
