Selma Blair Pleads Not Guilty to Assault Charges in New York

Actor Selma Blair pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree assault in Queens criminal court on Monday evening after authorities accused her of kicking a police officer and a hospital nurse following an incident aboard a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to New York. The charges concern alleged assaults during her transportation from John F. Kennedy International Airport to a hospital and during subsequent medical treatment.

According to an affidavit obtained by The Los Angeles Times, Blair, 54, allegedly kicked a Port Authority Police Department officer while being transported on a stretcher to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. She is also accused of kicking a nurse at the hospital in the early hours of Monday.

Queens County Court Judge Indira Khan set bail at $20,000 cash, $60,000 bond or a $60,000 partially secured bond. Blair was released on Monday, according to the report. Her attorneys had not responded to a request for comment by Tuesday.

Blair's attorney, Shawn Barnes, disputed the allegation that the actor deliberately assaulted the officer and nurse during the court appearance.

"This was not an intentional assault," attorney Shawn Barnes said in court, according to the New York Post.

The affidavit states that the officer was helping secure Blair to a stretcher during the trip from the airport to the hospital. The officer alleged that Blair removed a leg from the stretcher restraints and kicked her repeatedly in the face, neck and chest.

According to the same document, the officer experienced jaw swelling and substantial pain in her face, neck and chest. She subsequently received treatment at a local hospital.

A nurse at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center told authorities that she interacted with Blair at approximately 2 a.m. Monday while assisting with her transportation for additional treatment. The affidavit alleges that Blair kicked the nurse in the chest.

The allegations involving the officer and nurse followed a separate incident aboard the Sunday flight from Los Angeles International Airport to JFK. The New York Port Authority confirmed that officers responded to a call at approximately 11 p.m. Sunday after an alleged altercation involving flight attendants.

According to the report, two flight attendants required medical assistance, and one was transported to a hospital for further evaluation. The FBI is investigating the onboard incident.

A federal law enforcement official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said the FBI issued Blair a notice charging her with assault on Monday. The case is expected to be handled by the petty violations court in Brooklyn, according to the Associated Press.

Blair's representative attributed the actor's conduct to a medical emergency and said she received immediate treatment after the plane landed.

"Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct," a representative for Blair told The Los Angeles Times.

The representative added that Blair was in stable condition following medical attention. The statement did not provide further details about the emergency.

Delta Airlines also addressed the incident, emphasizing the company's position on passenger and crew safety.

"zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first," a Delta Airlines spokesperson said in a statement to The Los Angeles Times.