Justin Timberlake pleads guilty to impaired driving

JustinTimberlakepleaded guilty to impaired driving on Friday, resolving the criminal case stemming from his June arrest in New York's Hamptons.

The singer and actor appeared in Sag Harbor Village Court to enter a new plea to the lesser charge.

The judge sentencedTimberlaketo a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge, and 25 hours of community service at the non-profit of his choosing.

During the proceedings,Timberlakeremained standing throughout and gave a statement in which he expressed remorse for his actions. He said he grew up in a small town and appreciated the kind of strain his arrest has made on Sag Harbor. He said he has had a lot of time to reflect on his actions.

"I did not live up to the standards that I try to hold for myself," he said.

WATCH | Timberlake pushes through crowd to get into courthouse:

Justin Timberlake arrives for Sag Harbor court hearing

1 month ago

Duration 0:51

Police officers escorted Timberlake, 43, as he left his lawyer's office and crossed a street to Sag Harbor Village Court on Sept. 13. The singer later pleaded guilty to impaired driving.

Timberlakesaid he is "grateful for the opportunity to move forward" and use his platform to hopefully help others make "better decisions."

"I should've had better judgment," he said to the judge. " I understand the seriousness of this."

Singer stopped June 18

The pop star originally pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated. Hehad hisdriver's licence suspendedduring a hearing last month.

Suffolk County District Attorney RayTierney'soffice, which is prosecuting the case, declined to comment ahead of the hearing, as didTimberlake'slawyer, Edward Burke.

Timberlakewas arrestedin SagHarbor, N.Y., a little after midnight on June 18, after police said he ran a stop sign in the villagecentre, veered out of his lane and got out of his BMW smelling of alcohol.

Police in court filings also said the Tennessee native's eyes were "bloodshot and glassy" and that he had "slowed speech," was unsteady on his feet and performed poorly on all sobriety tests.

WATCH | Police release Timberlake's mugshot:

Justin Timberlake arrested for drunk driving

4 months ago

Duration 1:48

Justin Timberlake was arrested on New York's Long Island after running through a stop sign and operating a vehicle 'in an intoxicated condition,' according to police. Culture critics say this could impact his public image.

Timberlaketold the officer he had had one martini and was following some friends home, police said.

SagHarboris a one-time whaling village mentioned in Herman Melville's classic novelMobyDick that is nestled amid theHamptons, an area of seaside communities about160 kilometreseast of New York City.

Driving could be affected in other states

Timberlake'slicence suspension in New York likely affects his ability to drive in other states, a legal expert said this week.

Refusing a breathalyzer test, asTimberlakedid during his arrest, triggers an automatic suspension of one's licence under New York state law, which should then be enforced in other states, according to KennethGober, a managing partner at the law firm Lee,Gober& Reyna in Austin, Texas.

"Most states participate in the interstate Driver's Licence Compact, an agreement to share information about licence suspensions and traffic violations," he said in an email. "If a licence is suspended in one state, it should be suspended in all states."

In practice, though, it can take a long time for such changes to be reflected across state lines,Gober said. The pop star also has the resources to easily arrange for a driver and doesn't need to drive a car to do his job, he said.

Timberlake'sagent and other representatives didn't respond toemailsseeking comment this week.

The 10-time Grammy winner hasn't publicly addressed the arrest but seemed to acknowledge it during a performance in Chicago just days later.

"It's been a tough week," hetold the audienceduring the June 21 show at the UnitedCenter. "But you're here, and I'm here. Nothing can change this moment right now."

Timberlakehas been on tour for months in support of his latest album. He returns to the New York City area in the coming weeks with concerts in Newark, N.J., and Brooklyn.