Actress Selma Blair has been charged with two counts of second-degree assault in New York following an alleged incident involving a police officer and a hospital nurse after a disruptive flight.
Blair, 54, pleaded not guilty during her arraignment on Oct. 12, in Queens Criminal Court, with a judge setting bail at $20,000 cash or a $60,000 bond, and she was subsequently released.
Blair appeared before Judge Indira Khan, who set the bail conditions as prosecutors outlined allegations stemming from events that followed her arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
She faces separate allegations connected to the incident aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York, which is also under federal investigation.
Blair was arrested on Oct. 11 after allegedly assaulting flight attendants and attempting to open an aircraft door during Flight 938.
“Delta has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first,” a Delta spokesperson said in a statement to The Epoch Times in response to the incident.
The airline addressed the allegation, first reported by TMZ, that Blair had attempted to open the plane’s door while in flight, saying Delta was aware of the claim but could not confirm that detail as accurate.
Law enforcement officers met the plane after it landed at JFK, and Blair was arrested upon arrival and taken to a hospital for medical evaluation.
According to court documents, Blair is accused of kicking a Port Authority police officer who was helping transport her to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.
The officer claims Blair removed her leg from the restraints securing her to a stretcher and repeatedly kicked her in the face, neck, and chest. The officer reportedly experienced jaw swelling and substantial pain.
A separate allegation pertains to an encounter with a registered nurse at the hospital. According to the criminal complaint, Blair allegedly kicked the nurse in the chest while medical staff were assisting with her treatment and transport. The nurse subsequently received an order of protection.
During the arraignment, Blair’s attorneys challenged the suggestion that the alleged conduct was intentional, arguing that a medical emergency contributed to the events.
Attorney Shawn Barnes pointed to her multiple sclerosis condition and that Blair missed several doses of “a powerful medication that controls severe neurological symptoms.”
Her defense team also cited exhaustion from an intensive work schedule and a reported head injury during the flight. Barnes argued that these circumstances, combined with the effects of altitude, left Blair experiencing severe confusion and disorientation.
According to air traffic control audio, the Delta pilot requested that medical personnel meet the aircraft at the gate to assess reported bite marks and a bloody nose while indicating that ambulances were not needed.
The pilot also told the tower that Blair appeared to have struck her head against the aircraft’s bulkhead, adding that she might require medical evaluation alongside law enforcement intervention.
Blair’s next court appearance on the state assault charges is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2027.
This isn’t the first time the “Cruel Intentions” and “Legally Blonde” star has experienced a medical emergency aboard an aircraft. In 2016, Blair suffered a medical crisis while returning to Los Angeles from a vacation in Mexico and was removed from the plane on a stretcher.
Following the incident, Blair apologized in a statement to Vanity Fair, explaining that she had mixed alcohol with medication, which caused her to black out. She described the experience as deeply upsetting and expressed regret for disturbing fellow passengers and crew members.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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