Selma Blair pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault following her arrest after an alleged Oct. 11 incident aboard Delta flight 938 from Los Angeles to New York, ABC News reported. A representative for Blair told ABC News that the actress “experienced a medical emergency on the flight,” adding, “There was no attempt to open the door of the aircraft. Selma did not intend to harm anyone.”
What police and pilots reported
The Port Authority Police Department said it responded Sunday night at JFK Airport to a call about a “physically abusive passenger” on the flight, which was parked at the gate after arrival from LAX, according to ABC News. The passenger, identified as Blair, was taken into custody and transported to a hospital; sources familiar with the matter told ABC News she was treated at Jamaica Hospital in Queens.
Two flight attendants sustained injuries during the alleged incident, with one taken to a hospital for evaluation, Port Authority officials said, per ABC News. According to air traffic control audio cited by ABC News, the pilots told controllers before landing that one person had a bloody nose and another had bite marks, and they requested medical personnel at the gate.
Charges, bail, and next court date
A criminal complaint filed in Queens charged Blair with two counts of assault in the second degree under New York Penal Law 120.05(3) for alleged altercations with a Port Authority officer and a registered nurse, ABC News reported. A judge set bail at $20,000 cash, $60,000 bond, or a $60,000 partially secured bond. Blair was released on bond, and the case was adjourned to Jan. 19, 2027, according to ABC News. ABC News also noted Blair was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on Oct. 12, 2026.
Federal notice and investigations
In addition to the state charges, Blair received a violation notice on Monday alerting her that she faces federal charges of assaults within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, a source familiar with the federal summons told ABC News. The summons is answerable to the petty violations court in Brooklyn federal court, with no appearance date listed, according to those sources. The FBI and Federal Aviation Administration are also investigating, ABC News reported.
What Blair’s camp says
Blair’s representative referenced her 2018 multiple sclerosis diagnosis and said she “still has bad days” and lives “with pain daily,” according to ABC News. The rep also said Blair has pseudobulbar affect, described as a neurological condition secondary to MS that can affect how a medical episode appears to people who do not know her. The representative asked the public to consider “the entirety of the facts before rushing to judgment,” ABC News reported.
Prior flight incident in 2016
ABC News noted this is not the first flight-related incident involving Blair. In June 2016, she was removed from a plane on a stretcher and reportedly hospitalized after causing a scene. Blair later apologized in a statement to Vanity Fair, saying she had mixed alcohol with medication and blacked out.
What’s unknown
The investigations by federal authorities are ongoing, and the allegations in the complaint have not been proven in court. Blair has pleaded not guilty.
