Selma Blair’s lawyer has claimed she missed medication doses before an alleged incident on a flight to New York that led to her arrest.
Shawn Barnes made the claim in court on Monday, according to the New York Post.
The actress was arrested on Sunday after allegedly punching one flight attendant and biting another on a Delta Airlines flight.
The 54-year-old has been charged with two counts of assault in the second degree for allegedly kicking a police officer and a nurse after her flight touched down at JFK airport. She has pleaded not guilty.
Her representative told Page Six she had experienced a medical emergency and was in a stable condition. She received medical attention after the plane landed, the representative said.
Selma Blair’s lawyer describes medical factors amid star’s arrest
On Monday, attorney Shawn Barnes said medication controlled “severe neurological symptoms” linked to Selma’s multiple sclerosis.
He also told the court she had worked long hours on set before boarding the flight. According to her lawyers, Selma fell during the journey and hit her head.
Barnes argued that missed doses, the injury, and altitude left her “in a state of severe confusion and disorientation”. He added: “This was not an intentional assault.”
Selma Blair released on bail after assault charges
Selma appeared before Judge Indira Khan in New York on Monday.
Page Six reported that bail was set at $20,000 cash, or a $60,000 bond or partially secured bond.
She posted cash bail and left court without speaking, accompanied by police and her lawyers. Reporters gathered around her outside the courthouse.
The judge also ordered her to stay away from the nurse she is accused of attacking.
Another defence lawyer, Joshua Reitzas, highlighted her career and work helping others during the hearing. The judge said Selma’s celebrity status should not mean special treatment, the New York Post reported.
What authorities allege about Selma Blair’s flight incident
Port Authority Police said officers responded at JFK Airport around 11pm on Sunday, October 11.
Delta flight 938 had arrived from Los Angeles and was parked at the gate, the authority told MailOnline.
Police said Selma was taken into custody and transported to hospital for evaluation.
Authorities alleged she struck one flight attendant and bit another during the flight. Two crew members reported injuries, with one taken to hospital, according to the Port Authority.
The actress separately faces two charges of assaulting an officer while being taken to hospital and a nurse once she arrived.
She’s accused of kicking towards the officer’s face, neck and chest while being transported by ambulance. She later allegedly kicked a nurse’s chest at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Prosecutors said both reported pain, while the officer had a swollen jaw.
Selma, known for Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde and Hellboy, made her multiple sclerosis diagnosis public in 2018.
Her next hearing is scheduled for January 19, 2027.
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