Selma Blair’s representative released a statement on Friday about the incident on a Delta Air Lines flight that resulted in the actress’s arrest earlier this week, the first lengthier comment from Blair’s circle since she appeared in court facing assault charges. In a statement, Blair’s representative Jill Fritzo said that “Selma did not intend to harm anyone,” reiterating an earlier claim that Blair “experienced a medical emergency on the flight.” “There is much more to this story than has been reported, and we ask to consider the entirety of the facts before rushing to judgment, whether in the courtroom or in the court of public opinion,” the statement added. The statement also clarified that Blair did not “attempt to open the door of the aircraft,” as had been reported by some media outlets. Referencing her multiple sclerosis, the statement added that “what Selma has been able to do physically in the years since is nothing short of a miracle. She still has bad days, and she lives with pain daily.” Blair, the statement said, has pseudobulbar affect, a neurological condition secondary to her MS, which according to the the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America is “a neurological condition that is characterized by sudden, uncontrollable expressions of laughter or crying. This type of emotional behaviour is difficult to control voluntarily and can be extremely distressing to those who experience it.” The statement also added that Blair travels with a service dog “who doesn’t leave her side, and the authorities took her dog from her.” The statement was originally reported by People. On Monday, Blair pleaded not guilty to two assault charges, according to Queens Criminal Court. She was released from custody on US$20,000 bail. Blair allegedly bit one flight attendant and left another with lacerations while aboard a commercial flight from Los Angeles to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday, a law enforcement official previously told CNN. She later allegedly kicked a law enforcement officer and a nurse, according to prosecutors. In addition to the state charges, Blair may also face federal charges for any alleged crimes aboard the flight. The FBI is investigating the incident. Blair’s lawyer, Shawn Barnes, told the court Monday she had taken the flight after extensive hours on set, fell and hit her head on the plane and missed her medication. She was in the grip of a medical emergency, Barnes said.
