Selma Blair pleaded not guilty to two felony assault charges after police arrested her at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport following an alleged confrontation aboard a Delta Air Lines flight.
The 54-year-old actress appeared in Queens Criminal Court on Oct. 12 and was released on bail that evening, according to the Associated Press. Her attorney disputed that she had intentionally harmed anyone.
“Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct,” her representative told Variety. The representative said Blair received medical attention after landing and was in stable condition.
Port Authority police said two flight attendants reported injuries during the Oct. 11 incident, with one taken to a hospital for evaluation, Reuters reported.
An Officer and a Nurse Reported Being Kicked During Medical Transfers
The state prosecution concerns two alleged encounters after the flight. In a criminal court affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, a Port Authority officer said she was helping secure Blair to a stretcher when the actress pulled a leg free and repeatedly kicked her in the face, neck and chest.
The officer reported swelling around her jaw and substantial pain. A registered nurse at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center separately alleged that Blair kicked her in the chest while she was assisting with a transfer for further treatment at approximately 2 a.m. on Oct. 12. The nurse also reported substantial pain.
Judge Indira Kahn set bail at $20,000 cash, a $60,000 bond or a $60,000 partially secured bond. The court also issued an order of protection for the nurse. Both counts are second-degree assault.
The Pilot Requested Medical Personnel at the Gate
🚨 Selma Blair allegedly caused chaos aboard a Delta Airlines flight — punching one flight attendant and biting another after trying to open the plane’s door in the middle of the flight. https://t.co/YnfqQEjRsN
— TMZ (@TMZ) October 12, 2026
Blair had been traveling from Los Angeles International Airport on Delta Flight 938. Port Authority officers responded at approximately 11 p.m., after the aircraft had parked at its JFK gate.
TMZ reported that Blair punched one flight attendant and bit another. In radio communications described by ABC News, the pilot requested medical personnel to meet the aircraft, relaying preliminary information about bite marks and a bloody nose.
Delta said the incident had no operational impact on the flight, which arrived ahead of schedule. In a statement to ABC News, the airline said it “has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior” and emphasized the safety of passengers and crew.
Her Attorney Cited Missed Medication and a Head Injury
Attorney Shawn Barnes told the court that Blair had missed several doses of medication used to control serious neurological symptoms. He also said she had worked long hours before traveling and had fallen and hit her head during the flight.
Barnes argued that those factors, together with the altitude, left her severely confused and disoriented. “This was not an intentional assault,” he said, according to the New York Post.
Blair publicly disclosed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2018. Her representatives have not identified the medication involved in this episode or released a medical assessment establishing what caused it.
Scout Was Collected by Blair’s Attorney
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Blair’s service dog, Scout, was safe after the flight and was collected at JFK by her attorney, according to TMZ. The English Labrador has accompanied Blair as a service dog since 2021.
In a 2022 interview revisited in PEOPLE‘s current coverage, she explained that her neurologist had recommended considering a dog for physical and emotional support.
She described Scout helping her stand and regain her balance when she experienced muscle spasms or difficulty moving. “It’s given me a lot of independence,” she said.
Before the arrest became public, Blair shared a travel montage featuring Scout and photographs from journeys involving Los Angeles, New Mexico and New York. PEOPLE reported that her caption described how busy the pair had been traveling together.
A Separate Federal Notice Concerns the Alleged In-Flight Assault
The FBI issued Blair a violation notice alleging assault aboard the aircraft, according to a federal law-enforcement official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The notice is answerable in petty violations court in federal court in Brooklyn. No appearance date had been set in the reporting reviewed. ABC News also reported that the Federal Aviation Administration was investigating the flight incident.
Blair’s next appearance on the New York state charges is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2027, according to ABC News.