Actress Selma Blair missed multiple doses of a “powerful” medication and hit her head before a wild midair meltdown on Sunday night aboard a JFK-bound flight, her lawyers claimed.
The “Cruel Intentions” star was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on Monday evening on two assault charges for allegedly repeatedly kicking a cop in the head and attacking a nurse as she was taken to a hospital after the violent outburst on a Delta Airlines plane.
“This was not an intentional assault,” Blair’s attorney, Shawn Barnes, said at the actress’ arraignment, addressing allegations she slugged one flight attendant and bit another.
“Ms. Blair missed several doses of … a powerful medication that controls severe neurological symptoms,” Barnes said, adding his client suffers from multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.
The defense attorney said Blair hopped on the flight from Los Angeles after a heavy workload.
“Ms. Blair boarded this flight after being on set and working extensive hours and exhaustive hours in the days leading up to this flight,” he added. “Additionally, at one point, during the flight, there was an incident where Miss Blair actually fell and hit her head,” Barnes said.
“These factors, coupled with the altitude, resulted in a state of severe confusion and disorientation,” Barnes said.
Judge Indira Kahn set Blair’s bail at $20,000 cash and $60,000 bond during the hearing.
New York Daily News
The actress posted the cash bail and was tight-lipped as she limped out of court.
She was also ordered to stay away from the nurse she allegedly forcefully kicked in the chest after she broke out of her restraints en route to the Jamaica Hospital during the hearing.
Blair, whose film credits also include “Legally Blonde” and “Hellboy,” is also set to be hit with at least one federal violation for “assault committed within special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States,’’ sources said.
The actress faces two to seven years behind bars if convicted of the two state-level assault charges.
She is slated to return to court on Jan. 19.
