Justin Timberlake can now put his embarrassing DWI arrest behind him as he is free as a bird. In June, the singer was taken into custody for driving under the influence after leaving a party in Sag Harbour. Authorities charged him with one count of DWI and cited him for running a stop sign and failing to keep in his lane. Since then, the world has waited to see what fate he will be dealt. Luckily, Timberlake will suffer almost no consequences for his actions.
On Monday, the Cry Me a River singer copped a favorable plea deal thanks to his lawyer, Edward Burke Jr. Specifically, Timberlake signed a deal that reduced his crime to just a traffic violation — nothing about drunk driving or a criminal offense. Per TMZ, Burke and the prosecutors got the judge to drop the DWI charge and replace it with a Driving While Ability Impaired charge.
While “impaired” is mentioned, it is not formally classified as a drunk driving offense. With the singer escaping jail time, Timberlake will pay a fine of $300 to $500 as his penalty. Sources say a judge will reveal the exact amount during a hearing on Friday when the plea deal is official. Also, his driver’s license will remain suspended as part of standard procedure. The Prince of Pop pled not guilty to charges during his hearing, with his lawyer insisting that he wasn’t drunk.
Justin Timberlake’s DWI Case Had A Technicality
Justin Timberlake’s plea deal comes as no surprise. In July, a new update on the case revealed that the arresting officer made a huge blunder that could throw the case. Per reports, some of Timberlake’s friends intervened when cops pulled him over for speeding past a stop sign. The vehicle he was following when exiting the hotel returned to the arrest scene. One of its occupants, a woman, allegedly spoke to the officers, asking them to let the superstar off the hook. “Are you going to arrest Justin Timberlake?” she questioned.
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Justin Timberlake Plays It Safe, Turns Over New Leaf, Steers Clear of Trouble Amid DUI Arrest DramaHowever, when they didn’t oblige, she offered to drive the singer’s rental car home. It turns out the woman in question was also drinking at the party with Timberlake. She was allegedly inebriated during her interaction with the officers, but they didn’t notice. The oversight from the cops resulted in their inability to properly identify a drunk driver being questioned. If they couldn’t tell she was inebriated, how could they tell Timberlake was? It is unsure if that was the argument the singer’s attorney presented, but all that drama is now over.