Earlier this month a paparazzo tried to get a photo of Justin Bieber smoking pot while he was in his Ferrari. Justin wasn't in the car and the photog ended up dead. Now the elusive Bieber pot photo has surfaced on TMZ.

In the image, Justin is seen holding what appears to be a joint at a party inside a Newport Beach hotel room. The pic was taken on January 2nd, just a day after the paparazzo was killed on an L.A. street. The connections don't end there. Witnesses say Bieber's best buddy Lil Twist was at the pot party, too -- the 19-year-old rapper was also the one driving the Biebs' Ferrari at the time the paparazzo was killed. Sources say Twist is the one who turned Justin on to weed. And depending on who you talk to -- Lil Twist is either giving the Canadian crooner a bad rep or much-needed street cred.

While the Bieb hasn't commented directly on the photo, he has hinted that he's remorseful. Hours after the pic hit the 'net, Justin tweeted, "Everyday growing and learning. Trying to be better. U get knocked down, u get up."