Justin Timberlake was forced to issue a court-ordered apology on Friday following his plea to a DWI case. Speaking to reporters outside the Sag Harbor courthouse, Timberlake urged, “Even if you’ve been drinking once, don’t drive a car. There are many options – call a friend, take an Uber, there are many travel apps, take a taxi.”
“It’s a mistake that I made, but I hope that everybody who’s watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know I definitely have learned.”
On June 18, Timberlake was stopped after midnight for violating a stop sign and driving in the middle of a lane after leaving the American Hotel. He was subsequently charged with one count of DWI and received additional citations.
Timberlake later claimed he had only drunk one martini and was slammed by his attorney, Edward Burke Jr. Burke argued that Timberlake was “not intoxicated” and blamed the Sag Harbor police.
Read this also. Justin Timberlake admits to drinking before DWI arrest despite lawyer claiming the opposite in July
What is the difference between DWAI and DWI?
Earlier that day in court, Timberlake formally pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence (DWAI), a less serious offense than the original charge of driving while intoxicated (DWI).
As legal experts have noted, this is because of the level of intoxication; a DWAI represents a lower blood alcohol concentration than a DWI.
The 43-year-old singer was ordered to pay a $500 fine, complete 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit and appear in a public service announcement about the dangers of drunk driving following a plea agreement.
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Timberlake arrived at the courthouse wearing brown trousers, a black T-shirt and a matching cardigan. Timberlake told the judge, “I had a lot of time to think.”
“I was disappointed in myself and knew I hadn’t lived up to the standard I had set for myself. I understand and appreciate the gravity of that.”
“I just want to take a moment to express my gratitude to everybody involved,” he said, apologizing for the strain this has put on the small town of Sag Harbor in the Hamptons.
Read this also. Justin Timberlake finally gets favorable plea deal in DWI case after 3 months
Following Timberlake’s plea agreement, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told Page Six“One thing we want to make sure of is … to be consistent, and we don’t want to treat any defendant better than others … because of any perceived notoriety they may have.”
