Selma Blair Reps Claim Medical Emergency Led to Flight Assault Arrest

Actor Selma Blair did not intend to harm anyone during a recent flight that led to her arrest on allegations that she assaulted cabin crew members, a police officer, and a nurse, her representatives said in a statement. The episode on a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York was characterized by her camp as a medical emergency.

Arrest and Court Appearance Following Cross-Country Flight

Blair was traveling on Delta flight 938 from Los Angeles to John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday night when the incident occurred. Authorities stated that the 54-year-old actress allegedly bit one flight attendant and left another with lacerations. An air traffic control audio recording captured the pilot telling personnel at the gate that one flight attendant and one passenger sustained minor injuries, including a bloody nose and bite marks. Once the plane landed, Blair was taken to Jamaica Hospital in Queens, where prosecutors alleged she kicked a law enforcement officer and a nurse.

Blair pleaded not guilty on Monday in Queens Criminal Court to two state assault charges involving the officer and the nurse. Judge Indira Kahn ordered Blair to stay away from them and set her bail at $20,000 cash or a $60,000 bond. Blair posted bail and was freed, with a tentative court return scheduled for January. In addition to the state charges, Blair received a notice from the FBI charging her with assault for alleged actions aboard the flight.

Representatives Dispute Prior Media Reports and Detail Medical Conditions

Friday’s statement from Blair’s representative Jill Fritzo dismissed prior media coverage as unsympathetic and inaccurate, specifically denying reports that Blair tried to open the door of the aircraft. “There was no attempt to open the door of the aircraft. Selma did not intend to harm anyone,” the statement read. Blair’s lawyer, Shawn Barnes, told the court during Monday’s arraignment that the actress had spent extensive hours on set, fell and hit her head on the plane, missed her medication, and was in the grip of a medical emergency.

The statement from Blair’s representatives also addressed her multiple sclerosis, which she publicly disclosed in 2018. Calling it outrageous for anyone to suggest Blair does not have MS, the statement noted that she lives with daily pain and deals with a secondary condition known as pseudobulbar affect. According to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, pseudobulbar affect causes sudden, uncontrollable expressions of laughter or crying that are difficult to control voluntarily. The statement added that Blair travels with a service dog who does not leave her side, and stated that authorities took the animal from her.

Judge Rejects Leniency for Selma Blair

During Monday’s arraignment, defense attorney Joshua Reitzas asked for leniency, describing Blair as “the gold standard” and asking the court to consider her body of work. Judge Kahn rejected the request for special treatment due to celebrity status, stating that Ms. Blair should not receive preferential handling. Blair’s major film credits include Cruel Intentions in 1999, Legally Blonde in 2001, and Hellboy in 2004, alongside her work on the 2021 documentary Introducing, Selma Blair, which explores her life after her MS diagnosis.

The statement issued on Friday criticized media outlets for referencing a 2016 incident in which Blair reportedly began screaming uncontrollably while on a Los Angeles-bound flight. In that earlier episode, Blair claimed she had mixed alcohol with medication and blacked out. Blair also faced public backlash and issued an apology in February 2024 for an Islamophobic comment on social media.

More on this story: Selma Blair's Team Claims Medical Emergency Led to Plane Incident and Arrest · Selma Blair Arrested After Alleged Assault on Delta Flight Attendants

More on Selma Blair: Selma Blair reportedly attacked flight attendants on Delta Airlines plane