Selma Blair Claims Innocence in Violent Delta Flight Attack

New details emerged late Monday about what reportedly happened on the plane and afterward, when Blair was arrested at JFK and taken to a local hospital.

Less than 24 hours after the actress was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport for a violent attack on a Delta flight that injured two flight attendants and sent one to the hospital, Salma Blair pleaded not guilty at a court hearing Monday evening in Queens, New York. Blair is also set to face separate charges from the FBI, which is the agency responsible for investigating all attacks on planes.

Salma Blair was arrested at New York's JFK airport after biting and punching Delta employees.

Salma Blair reveals 'I didn't have a job at all' following anti-extremist Instagram comments

When news first broke of the incident on Delta Flight 938 from Los Angeles, it was reported that Blair had allegedly punched and bit another Delta flight attendant. He also reportedly tried to open a door at one point on the flight. The New York Harbor Police Department confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter on Monday that Blair was taken into custody at the gate and taken to a hospital for evaluation on Sunday.

Blair was represented at Monday night's hearing by attorneys Shawn Barnes and Joshua Ritzas. Khan set his next hearing for January 19, 2027, and also reportedly issued a protection order against the nurse who Blair assaulted while receiving care. It was an emotional and at times tense scene in the courtroom, heard in every video released from the courtroom. At one point, Blair sobbed with tears streaming down her face, and her attorney Reitzas moved to wipe them from her face as Blair remained handcuffed throughout the trial.

As the New York Post reported, Barnes said her client had missed taking medication to help manage his MS and that he had been working "long hours and long hours" before the flight. At one point in the flight, he also hit his head — an injury the pilot also reported when he called for backup at the gate — which played a role. "These factors, along with the altitude, led to a state of extreme confusion and disorientation," Barnes told the court.

Meanwhile, Ritzas asked the court for leniency, referring to his profession and legal activities.

"Consider what he's done and what he's done for people," Ritzas told the judge. "That's who we have to look up to. He's the gold standard." Judge Kahn replied: "Ms Blair should not be given special treatment because she is a celebrity."

Meanwhile, a Delta representative condemned the situation in a statement, saying the airline "does not tolerate unruly or illegal behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first."

This is not Blair's first incident on a plane. In June 2016, Blair, returning to Los Angeles from a vacation in Cancun, Mexico, began screaming uncontrollably, causing chaos on the flight. Two nurses on board helped to bring the actress under control and she was then taken to the hospital for evaluation. As reported by THR at the time, Blair apologized and claimed she passed out after mixing prescription drugs and alcohol.

Blair said in a statement: "Yesterday I made a huge mistake. After a lovely trip with my son and his dad, I mixed alcohol with medicine, which caused me to black out and do things I deeply regret." My son was sleeping with his dad with his headphones on, so there's that grace. I take this very seriously and apologize to all passengers and crew for any inconvenience I may have caused, and thank everyone who helped me in the aftermath. I am an imperfect human who makes mistakes and I am truly ashamed of it.

He also has a history of biting people, especially celebrities. As she revealed in her memoir Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up, Blair tried to sink her teeth into Sienna Miller, Seth MacFarlane and Kate Moss. She attributed the incidents to social anxiety or disorientation, writing that her system "floods and instantly short-circuits," adding, "Social interactions have been cumbersome."

Sunday's incident came just days after Blair delivered a revealing speech at New York's Jewish Museum during a reception for the Anti-Defamation League in the Arts Government. He described the extent of his professional consequences after anti-extremism comments he posted on Instagram

The brands I worked with were gone within a day. Several partnerships I had spent years building were abandoned. My agency disappeared. My lawyer left. My advertising expert left. My book representative left. The publicist of my book is gone. My social media manager is gone. My son's godmother was gone - while my best friend was by my side. "My manager, my friend of 30 years and a Jew, I still don't know what they were thinking," Blair explained of the February 2024 incident.

The actor is best known for his roles in Cruel Intentions, Hellboy, Legally Blonde and The Sweetest Thing. It's unclear what projects he was working on in the days leading up to the flight, though THR recently reported that he's been cast in Theresa Burkhart Gallagher's Schmoolie the Deathwatcher .