It looks like pop star Justin Timberlake tried to lighten the mood after police arrested him on suspicion of driving while intoxicated in the Hamptons in June 2024.
In newly released footage from his time in police custody, first posted online by TMZ, Timberlake cracked a joke about his race when asked to review paperwork pertaining to his arrest.
“White?” Timberlake asked as he looked at the document. “I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding, man.”
He also tried to banter with officers from New York’s Suffolk County Police Department upon being informed he would be spending the night in a cell.
“All night?” Timberlake asked. “Yo, you guys are wild, man.”
Things between Timberlake and officers were a bit more tense during other points of his arrest, which was captured in body camera footage, particularly when he was asked if he’d consent to a chemical test.
“No, I’m not doing the chemical test,” a handcuffed Timberlake told one officer, then trailing off and saying, “Guys, I don’t mean no harm…”
At another point in the recording, Timberlake complained, “You boys treating me like I’m a criminal,” when the officers politely described the traffic violations that led to his arrest.
Timberlake was initially stopped after allegedly failing to stop at a stop sign and veering into the middle of the road. He then struggled to complete the field sobriety tests and told the officers, “These are like really hard tests.”
Despite his lawyers’ efforts, the Sag Harbor Police Department released the video from Timberlake’s 2024 arrest on Friday. Redacted versions of the footage were posted by TMZ and other outlets.
Upon initial news of the arrest, Timberlake was publicly mocked for reportedly invoking his celebrity status during the stop, when he told officers, “I’m Justin Timberlake” and “This is going to ruin the tour.”
Timberlake and prosecutors agreed to a plea deal for a lesser offense in September 2024. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine and serve 25 hours of community service.