Justin Timberlake’s lawyer says the pop star was “sober” when he was arrested by police last month on suspicion of drunk driving.
The 43-year-old pop star was taken into custody in New York after allegedly running a stop sign and failing to stay in the right lane.
His first court hearing was on Friday, and his lawyer, Edward Burke, said police made a “very significant number of mistakes” in the case.
He added: “The most important thing to know about this incident is that Justin was not drunk and should not have been arrested for DUI.”
Speaking outside the Sag Harbor Village courthouse, Burke said Timberlake “respected law enforcement” and always cooperated with officers.
“But the truth is, he wasn’t drunk, and they made a mistake in arresting him. We’re confident this charge will be dismissed.”
Timberlake did not attend the hearing because his Everything I Thought It Was world tour began at the Tauron Arena in Krakow.
He will be back in court virtually next month.
The arrests took place in Sag Harbor, a popular Hamptons neighborhood where celebrities spend their summer vacations on Long Island.
When police stopped him, Timberlake’s eyes were “bloodshot and glassy” and he had a “strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath,” according to charging documents.
According to the documents, his speech was slow and he did poorly on police sobriety tests.
He also added that he refused to take an alcohol test.
According to the BBC’s US partner CBS News, Timberlake told police who arrested him: “I had a martini and followed him to a friend’s house.”
Timberlake has previously spoken publicly about seeking help for his drinking problems.
In New York, drunk driving charges carry a maximum penalty of one year in jail, a $1,000 (£786) fine and a minimum six-month driver’s license suspension.
