Selma Blair Faces State and Federal Charges After Alleged Plane Incident
Selma Blair has been charged with two counts of second-degree assault after an alleged incident that began aboard a Delta Air Lines flight and continued as she was taken to a New York hospital.
The actress, 54, was arraigned on Monday, Oct. 12, in Queens Criminal Court. She did not enter a plea. A representative for Blair said she experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct.
What Allegedly Happened on the Flight
Police responded to a call about a physically abusive passenger aboard Delta Air Lines Flight 938, which was traveling from Los Angeles to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday night, Oct. 11. Blair was detained around 11 p.m. after the plane reached the gate.
A law enforcement source told CNN that Blair allegedly bit a flight attendant and left another with lacerations, and that she had to be held with plastic restraints. One of the flight attendants was also taken to the hospital for evaluation.
According to reports from TMZ and Variety, Blair also allegedly tried to open the plane’s door while the aircraft was in the air.
The Assault Charges
The two state assault charges stem from what allegedly happened after the plane landed.
Prosecutors said that as Blair was being strapped into a stretcher to be loaded into an ambulance, she freed her leg and kicked a female Port Authority police officer repeatedly in the head, neck and chest, according to a criminal complaint.
The complaint also alleges that around 2 a.m. Monday, Blair kicked a registered nurse in the chest at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center while the nurse was helping transport her for further medical treatment.
At Monday’s hearing, a judge set bail at $20,000 cash or $60,000 bond, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office. Blair’s attorney told the court, “We do not believe, your honor, that this is an intentional assault,” according to NBC News.
Blair posted bail and was released Monday, Variety reported. According to Variety, Blair attributed the incident to drinking a glass of wine and taking a pill.
Federal Charge as Well
Blair is also facing a federal charge. The FBI issued her a notice charging her with assault related to her alleged actions aboard the aircraft, according to a federal law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press.
The FBI said it does not comment on ongoing investigations but confirmed it had been contacted about a potential assault aboard a flight that arrived at JFK. A source told People that Blair is expected to face the federal charge in petty violations court in Brooklyn.
Blair’s Representative Responds
Jill Fritzo, a representative for Blair, said in a statement to USA Today that “Selma experienced a medical emergency” that led to the alleged conduct. The representative did not describe the medical emergency.
Blair, known for roles in “Cruel Intentions,” “Legally Blonde” and “Hellboy,” was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 and has since become a vocal advocate for people living with the disease.
This isn’t the first time Blair has been involved in an in-flight incident. In 2016, she was removed from a plane on a stretcher after an episode on a flight from Mexico to Los Angeles. She later said it involved mixing alcohol with medication.
Blair is due back in court on the state charges at a later date. Her case in federal court is expected to proceed separately.
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