Justin Timberlake’s driving licence suspended in New York over drink-driving arrest
- The singer has pleaded not guilty after police say he ran a stop sign, veered out of his lane and got out of his BMW smelling of alcohol
Justin Timberlake made a virtual court appearance on Friday in his drink-driving case on Long Island, saying little during the brief proceeding as a judge accepted his not-guilty plea and suspended his right to drive in New York.
Police in the seaside village of Sag Harbor arrested Timberlake on June 18 after they say he ran a stop sign, veered out of his lane and got out of his BMW smelling of alcohol.
The former NSYNC singer, who is on tour in Europe, was not required by the court to return to the US for his court date. He is performing on Saturday night in Antwerp, Belgium.
His lawyer, Edward Burke Jnr, has maintained that Timberlake was not drunk and that the case should be dropped.
“The facts remain he was not intoxicated,” Burke said on Friday, according to Newsday. “I’ll say it again: Justin Timberlake was not intoxicated and we’re very confident that charge, that criminal charge, will be dismissed.”
Sag Harbour Village Justice Carl Irace suspended Timberlake’s Tennessee driving licence in New York state and threatened to impose a gag order on Burke, saying the lawyer’s comments to the media have been inappropriate. Irace set a next court date for Aug. 9.