Justin Timberlake files lawsuit to stop release of DWI arrest bodycam footage

Justin Timberlake is seeking to block the release of bodycam footage from his 2024 DWI arrest, citing privacy concerns

Justin Timberlake has filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the public release of police body camera footage from his 2024 driving while intoxicated arrest in Sag Harbor, New York.

In court documents filed in Suffolk County Supreme Court, Timberlake’s attorneys argue that releasing the footage would amount to an invasion of privacy. They are asking a judge to either block the video’s disclosure entirely or privately review the material and redact any content not subject to release under New York’s Freedom of Information Law.

His legal team contends the video contains personally identifiable information and private details unrelated to any broader law enforcement concern. “The harm from public exposure—stigma, harassment, reputational injury, and the permanent loss of privacy—is immediate and irreparable,” his attorneys wrote.

Suffolk County acting Supreme Court Justice Joseph Farneti has not yet ruled on the request, allowing time for negotiations between both sides.

Sag Harbor officials have said the village had planned to release portions of the footage with privacy and investigatory redactions before Timberlake sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction.

One of Timberlake’s attorneys, Edward D. Burke Jr., stated in filings that the bodycam footage spans roughly eight hours and captures moments beyond the June 18, 2024, arrest itself, including what he described as private and emotionally personal material. The legal team also noted that bystanders appearing in the footage retain their own privacy rights.

Timberlake previously said he had consumed one martini before getting behind the wheel. He pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2024, to driving while impaired and agreed to complete 25 to 40 hours of community service along with paying a fine.

Outside court at the time, he called the incident “a mistake” and expressed hope that others would learn from it.

The case now centers on whether the public’s right to access government records outweighs the singer’s claim to privacy over footage tied to his arrest.