Selma Blair arrested after alleged assault on Delta flight, pleads not guilty
Actress Selma Blair was arrested at JFK Airport following accusations of assaulting flight crew on a Delta flight and has pleaded not guilty in a New York court.
Actress Selma Blair was taken into custody at John F. Kennedy International Airport after New York Port Authority Police said she allegedly assaulted two flight attendants on a Delta flight from Los Angeles to New York on Oct. 11. The police report states that she punched one attendant, bit another, and attempted to open the aircraft door. She was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for evaluation.
In a Queens courtroom the following day, Blair entered a plea of not guilty to two counts of assault. Her attorneys, Joshua T. Reitzas and Shawn Barnes, said she missed a dose of medication used to manage her multiple sclerosis and had been working long hours before the flight. Barnes added that she also suffered a head injury during the incident, which he said contributed to confusion and disorientation.
"These factors, coupled with the altitude, resulted in a state of severe confusion and disorientation," Barnes told the judge.
Reitzas asked the court to consider Blair’s career and advocacy work when determining any sentence. The case is scheduled for a further hearing on Jan. 19, and federal investigators are expected to file additional charges related to the aircraft incident.
Blair, 54, has been working on several projects, including a role in the upcoming series "Criminal Minds: Evolution" and parts in the independent films "Schmoolie the Deathwatcher" and "Ethan Almighty." Producers of the latter said she remained professional on set and expressed support for her during the legal proceedings.
The actress previously faced a similar incident on a 2016 flight, for which she apologized and attributed the behavior to a combination of medication and alcohol. She has also disclosed a history of biting incidents in her memoir, describing them as related to social anxiety.
Industry observers note that repeated incidents could affect future employment opportunities, emphasizing the need for consistent management of her health condition and public behavior.