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Selma Blair's lawyer gives possible cause of alleged mid-flight incident where she tried to open plane door
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Kim N.
Selma Blair's lawyer has spoken out as she faced court for an alleged incident aboard a New York-bound flight over the weekend.
The actress was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on Monday evening on two assault charges, after she allegedly repeatedly kicked a police officer in the head and attacked a nurse after being taken to hospital following an outburst on a Delta Airlines plane.
Her lawyers have claimed the 54-year-old actress, who was diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis) in 2018, had missed multiple doses of a "powerful" medication and had hit her head before the incident.
Blair’s attorney, Shawn Barnes, said at the arraignment: "This was not an intentional assault. Ms. Blair missed several doses of … a powerful medication that controls severe neurological symptoms."
Reports claimed that the Cruel Intentions star had hit one flight attendant and bit another during the flight from Los Angeles, and allegedly tried to open the plane door, following an intensely busy period of work.
Barnes added: "Ms. Blair boarded this flight after being on set and working extensive hours and exhaustive hours in the days leading up to this flight.
"Additionally, at one point, during the flight, there was an incident where Miss Blair actually fell and hit her head.
"These factors, coupled with the altitude, resulted in a state of severe confusion and disorientation."
Blair was ordered to remain in handcuffs in the courtroom despite her lawyers' request, per the New York Post, and Judge Indira Kahn set her bail at $20,000 cash and $60,000 bond during the hearing.
The actress's other defense attorney, Joshua Reitzas, was seen wiping away her tears when Blair first walked into the courtroom.
Reitzas told the judge: "Consider her body of work and what she’s done for people. This is someone we should look up to. She is the gold standard."
However, Judge Kahn responded: "Ms. Blair should not get special treatment because she is a celebrity."
Blair posted the cash bail, and was also ordered to stay away from the nurse she allegedly forcefully kicked in the chest, after reportedly breaking out of her restraints on the way to Jamaica Hospital.
According to the criminal complaint, Blair allegedly freed her leg from the straps of the stretcher she was on and repeatedly kicked a Port Authority Police Officer in the face, neck, and chest as she was taken from JFK Airport Terminal 4 in an ambulance on Sunday night.
She is then accused of kicking a registered nurse at Jamaica Hospital in the chest while she was being transported for more medical treatment, per the complaint.
The officer is said to have suffered swelling to her jaw and pain in her face, neck, and chest, while prosecutors said the nurse also suffered substantial pain to her chest.
Police added that two crew members from the airplane were seriously injured, with one having to be hospitalized, after one was bitten on the hand and the other suffered a cut, according to sources.
Air traffic control audio obtained by CBS included the pilot calling for medical personnel to meet the plane, claiming that there was a "bloody nose as well as some bite marks" after Blair was allegedly restrained on the plane by the flight crew.
On a recording obtained by TMZ, an alarm could be heard blaring as a woman - alleged to be Blair - repeatedly screamed: "Please stop! No, no! Please don’t! Let me go!”, as she was removed from the plane.
The actress is also set to face at least one federal violation for "assault committed within special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States," sources claimed. While it is not a felony, it does carry a potential sentence of up to a year in prison if found guilty.
Blair could also face between two and seven years behind bars if convicted of the two state-level assault charges.
She is due to return to court on January 19, 2027.
