A well-known actress with a serious chronic illness is now facing criminal charges on two fronts — in state court and in federal court — following a turbulent flight from Los Angeles to New York that left two airline workers injured and raised complex questions about health, accountability, and what happens when a medical crisis unfolds at 30,000 feet.
Actress Selma Blair, 54, best known for her roles in Cruel Intentions, Hellboy, and Legally Blonde, was arrested after an incident aboard a Delta Airlines flight that landed at JFK Airport late Sunday night. By Monday evening, she had been arraigned on two counts of second-degree assault in a Queens courtroom — and federal charges were also filed against her related to her conduct on the aircraft itself.
What Happened on the Flight
Port Authority of New York Police were called to JFK around 11 p.m. Sunday after reports of a “physically abusive passenger” on an arriving Delta flight. Two flight attendants reported injuries during the incident; one was transported to the hospital for further evaluation.
Dispatch audio obtained by CNN described minor injuries including “a bloody nose as well as some bite marks,” and noted the disruptive passenger may have “bashed her head on the bulkhead.” The airline confirmed the incident but offered few specifics.
Delta released the following statement:
“Delta has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first.”
The FBI, which was also investigating, issued Blair a notice charging her with assault related to her conduct aboard the aircraft, according to a federal law enforcement official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. Those charges are expected to be handled through the petty violations court in federal court in Brooklyn, though no date has been set for Blair’s appearance.
Assault Charges After the Flight
Blair’s legal trouble did not end with the flight. According to court documents cited by the Associated Press, a Port Authority police officer transporting Blair to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center said that while she was securing Blair to a stretcher, Blair pulled a leg free from the straps and kicked her repeatedly around the face, neck, and chest, causing serious pain and substantial swelling.
After arriving at the hospital, a nurse moving Blair said the actress kicked her in the chest, causing substantial pain. These incidents formed the basis for the two counts of second-degree assault Blair faced at her Monday night arraignment. She appeared to cry while standing before the judge in handcuffs, dressed in jeans and a white hooded sweatshirt. The judge set bail at $20,000 cash or $60,000 bond, with the next hearing scheduled for January.
A Medical Explanation from Her Defense Team
Blair’s attorneys argued her behavior was not intentional. Attorney Shawn Barnes told the court that Blair, who has publicly lived with multiple sclerosis since her 2018 diagnosis, had missed several doses of
“a powerful medication that controls severe neurological symptoms.”
Barnes said she had boarded the flight after a heavy workload, hit her head during the flight, and that a combination of those factors along with the altitude led to
“a state of severe confusion and disorientation.”
Blair’s representative echoed that framing in a statement provided to multiple outlets:
“Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct. Upon landing, she received immediate medical attention.”
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system, in which the immune system attacks the body’s own healthy cells. There is currently no cure. Blair was the subject of a 2021 documentary that followed her treatment and daily life with the disease.
A Pattern With Prior Incidents
This is not the first time Blair has been involved in a disruptive in-flight incident. In 2016, she was removed from a flight from Cancun to Los Angeles on a stretcher and later hospitalized. She publicly addressed that episode in a statement to Vanity Fair, calling it
“a big mistake”
and explaining that she had mixed alcohol with medication, which caused her to
“black out and led me to say and do things that I deeply regret.”
The current case involves no such admission. Her legal team’s position is centered squarely on the argument that her actions stemmed from an involuntary medical crisis rather than deliberate behavior.
Details of exactly what transpired aboard the aircraft have not been fully disclosed by Delta, the Port Authority, or the FBI, and the investigation remains ongoing. Blair left court with her attorneys after the Monday arraignment.