Selma Blair arrested at JFK, bail set at $20,000
The actress faces two assault charges after an incident on a flight to New York: a Port Authority officer and a nurse reported being kicked, and the FBI is investigating.
American actress Selma Blair was arrested on Sunday, October 11, right after her Delta flight landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. She was brought before a judge on Monday and bail was set at $20,000, TMZ reported, citing court documents.
She faces two counts of second-degree assault. One involves a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police officer, the other a nurse.
What happened on the flight to New York?
According to TMZ, the actress physically attacked crew members during the flight. She allegedly punched one flight attendant and bit another. The Telegraph adds that she also tried to open an aircraft door in midair, a detail TMZ does not mention in its reports.
The Port Authority confirmed that two crew members reported injuries and that one was taken to a hospital. TMZ also obtained dispatch audio. On the recording, medical staff are requested at the gate for minor injuries, including a bloody nose and bite marks. It also mentions that the passenger hit her head on a cabin partition.
Police sources told TMZ that one flight attendant suffered a cut and the other a bite. Blair was restrained on the plane, and police were waiting when it landed.
What happened after landing?
Police allege that in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, Blair kicked the Port Authority officer repeatedly in the face, neck and chest. The officer reported a swollen jaw and said he felt “substantial pain,” according to the documents.
The same complaint covers the nurse. She says the actress kicked her in the chest in the early hours of Monday at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, while Blair was being transferred for further treatment. The nurse filed a complaint.
TMZ also published an audio recording from a witness at the JFK gate, on which the actress can be heard shouting as an alarm sounds.
How much is bail, and what comes next?
On Monday, October 12, the judge set bail at $20,000 cash. The alternatives are a $60,000 bond or a partially secured bond in the same amount. It is not known whether Blair entered a plea at the hearing.
Her next court date is set for January 19, 2027.
The case also has a federal side. Police sources told TMZ that the FBI served the actress with a federal summons, a so-called notice of violation. Under it, she is charged with “assault within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.” The FBI is investigating.
What do Blair’s representative and Delta say?
Selma Blair’s representative told TMZ:
“Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct. Upon landing, she received immediate medical attention and is currently in stable condition.”
What caused the medical emergency has not been disclosed. According to TMZ, the actress was taken to a hospital for evaluation after the arrest.
A Delta spokesperson responded briefly:
“Delta has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first.”
Has Blair had trouble on a flight before?
Yes, in 2016. She was carried off a plane on a stretcher after an outburst on a flight from Cancun to Los Angeles.
Her last public appearance before this incident was on October 1 in New York, at an Anti-Defamation League event called “State of the Arts: An Evening at The Jewish Museum.” Blair is known for roles in “Cruel Intentions,” “Legally Blonde,” “The Sweetest Thing” and “Hellboy.”
No guilt has been established. The charges are allegations from court documents, and the actress is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
