Brief
Selma Blair faces federal assault charges after alleged plane‑biting incident
The 54‑year‑old actress was detained Sunday, pleaded not guilty Monday, and now confronts federal charges linked to the mid‑air assault.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Actress Selma Blair was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport on Sunday after allegedly biting a flight attendant and assaulting crew members on a Delta flight from Los Angeles to New York, the Independent reports.
What happened
According to the outlet, the incident occurred aboard Delta flight 938 after the aircraft landed at JFK around 11 p.m. ET. Blair is accused of hurting two flight attendants, attempting to open the aircraft door while it was in the air, and later kicking a police officer and a nurse at the airport. She was detained, transported to Jamaica Hospital for evaluation, and then released on bail.
What the report adds
The Independent notes that Blair pleaded not guilty on Monday night to two state‑level assault counts involving the officer and the nurse. In addition, she faces separate federal charges for assaults "within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States," as cited by the Associated Press. Her attorney Shawn Barnes told a New York judge that a missed dose of medication triggered a medical emergency on the plane, causing the alleged behavior.
What was said
Attorney Shawn Barnes told the judge that Blair’s actions stemmed from a medical emergency linked to missed medication doses. The Independent also references Blair’s own memoir, where she described a habit of biting in stressful public situations, writing, “My system gets overwhelmed and instantaneously short‑circuits.”
How it came about
Blair, who disclosed earlier this year that she is “relapse free” from multiple sclerosis, has previously described biting incidents in her 2022 memoir Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up. The book recounts biting Seth MacFarlane at a 2004 party and Sienna Miller at the Chateau Marmont in 2006. Those past admissions provide context for the current allegations, linking her stated habit to the recent flight incident.
Key facts
- Selma Blair was arrested at JFK after allegedly biting a flight attendant on a Delta flight from LAX to JFK. (independent.co.uk)
- She pleaded not guilty to two state assault counts involving a police officer and a nurse. (independent.co.uk)
- Blair also faces federal assault charges under the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the U.S. (independent.co.uk)
- Attorney Shawn Barnes said a missed medication dose caused a medical emergency on the plane. (independent.co.uk)
- Blair’s memoir describes a long‑standing habit of biting in stressful public situations. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Selma Blair has a history of biting. Her latest incident landed her federal charges”
