Singer and songwriter Justin Timberlake was arrested Monday night and accused of driving while intoxicated in New York.
Justin Timberlake was arrested early Tuesday morning in the Hamptons, New York, and charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI).
According to police, Timberlake failed to make a stop and stay in his lane while driving down Madison Street. When pulled over by authorities, Timberlake "performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests," according to the arresting officer.
Justin Timberlake Arrested for DUI in the Hamptons
Timberlake told the arresting officer he had one martini and was following some friends home. He refused a breathalyzer test, which could "complicate" his legal proceedings, according to a legal expert.
Timberlake was arraigned Tuesday morning in Sag Harbor on the eastern end of Long Island on charges of DWI, failure to keep right, and failure to stop at a stop sign. He is expected to appear virtually for his first court hearing on July 26.
Justin Timberlake Arrested for DUI in the Hamptons
The "Cry Me A River" singer's arrest raises questions about his legal strategy. Traditionally, criminal defense lawyers would give blanket advice to refuse a breathalyzer test, but now many are split on the issue.
Some experts argue that refusing a breathalyzer can benefit the suspect by not providing concrete evidence of intoxication. However, it also carries significant risks, such as statutory penalties and negative inferences by a jury or judge.
Justin Timberlake Arrested for DUI in the Hamptons
Celebrity criminal defense lawyer Michael Huff believes Timberlake made a "smart choice" by allegedly refusing the test to "safeguard" his constitutional rights.
Justin Timberlake performs during his The Forget Tomorrow World Tour at Rogers Arena on April 29 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Justin Timberlake Arrested for DUI in the Hamptons
Huff explained, "Justin did the right thing in order to preserve his legal defense. When detained for suspicion of DUI, you should not submit to the breathalyzer nor the field sobriety standardized tests (FSTs). Doing so provides the investigator with evidence that s/he may not have otherwise."
Huff added, "Notwithstanding, Justin’s defense counsel will have room to argue and present a full legal defense strategy based on other possible factors that may have caused his appearance of impairment."
Justin Timberlake Arrested for DUI in the Hamptons
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
