Selma Blair, a well-known actress, was taken into police custody following an incident where she allegedly harmed two flight attendants during a flight from Los Angeles to New York. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported that Blair, 54, was arrested around 11 p.m. ET on Sunday at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York after the Delta Air Lines plane had landed.
According to charging documents, Blair was charged with assaulting a police officer and a nurse while being transported to the hospital. The police officer claimed that Blair kicked her multiple times in the face, neck, and chest causing significant pain. Subsequently, Blair allegedly kicked a nurse in the chest causing substantial pain as well.
Blair appeared in court in Queens and was arraigned on two counts of second-degree assault. Her lawyer, Shawn Barnes, explained that Blair’s actions were not intentional and attributed them to missing doses of a critical medication for her multiple sclerosis, leading to severe confusion and disorientation during the flight.
The judge set Blair’s bail at $20,000 cash or $60,000 bond, scheduling the next hearing for January. Despite the incident, details about what occurred on the flight were not immediately disclosed by the airline or authorities. Delta Airlines stated that they have a zero-tolerance policy towards unlawful behavior to prioritize the safety of passengers and crew.
In a previous in-flight incident back in 2016, Blair publicly apologized for her behavior on a flight due to mixing alcohol with medication. Despite her personal struggles, Blair has been an advocate for disability rights, especially after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018. She even participated in an event at the White House alongside then-President Joe Biden in 2023 to commemorate the Americans with Disabilities Act.