Justin Timberlake will be re-arraigned virtually in court next month. Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
By Ruth Comerford, BBC News
Justin Timberlake's lawyer has said the popstar was "not intoxicated" when he was arrested by police officers last month for driving under the influence.
The 43-year-old pop star was detained in New York for running a stop sign and failing to stay on the right side of the road.
His first court hearing took place on Friday, where his lawyer Edward Burke said police made "a very significant number of errors" in the case.
"The most important fact to know about this case is that Justin was not intoxicated and should not have been arrested for DWI," he added.
Speaking outside Sag Harbor Village Justice Court, Mr Burke said Timberlake "respects law enforcement" and cooperated with the police officers at all times.
"But the fact remains, he was not intoxicated and they made an error in arresting him for it. We are confident that this charge will be dismissed."
Timberlake was not present at the hearing as the date clashed with the start of his Everything I Thought It Was world tour, kicking-off at the Tauron Arena in Kraków, Poland.
He will be re-arraigned virtually in court next month.
Police released the mugshot of the pop star shortly after news broke of his arrest. Photo: Sag Harbor Police Department
The arrest occurred in Sag Harbor in the Hamptons, a popular summer destination for celebrities on Long Island.
When officers stopped him, Timberlake's eyes were "bloodshot and glassy" and a "strong odour of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath", according to a charging document.
His speech was slowed and he performed poorly on the officers' sobriety tests, the document said.
He also refused a breathalyser test, it added.
"I had one martini and I followed my friends home," Timberlake allegedly told the officer who stopped him, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.
Timberlake has previously spoken openly about seeking help for excessive drinking.
In New York, penalties for charges related to driving while intoxicated include up to a year in jail, a US$1000 (NZ$1700) fine and the suspension of a driver's licence for at least six months.
- BBC
