Former Houston-based hand surgeon sentenced for disturbance on a plane

MIAMI -- Former Houston hand surgeon Michael Brown was sentenced on Wednesday for a disturbance he had on a flight from London to Miami.

Brown pleaded guilty in federal court in Florida to one count of assaulting and intimidating a flight crew member.

He will serve 30 days in a federal prison for assaulting two flight crew members. He was also fined $2,000 and will serve 2 years of supervised probation. 

Brown, who initially pleaded not guilty to the charge of assaulting a flight attendant on a Jan. 2 flight from London to Miami, changed his plea to guilty. 

Brown was arrested Jan. 2, accused of choking a flight attendant and threatening to strip naked on the transatlantic flight. He was released on bond to his Miami residence but was allowed non-commercial flights for purposes of litigation, business or visiting his minor children in Texas, according to court records.

In February, lawyer Robert Hantman told the Chronicle that Brown had a "negative reaction" after drinking alcohol and taking an insomnia medication on the flight.

This negative reaction led him to choke a flight attendant and threaten to strip naked, Hantman said at the time.

Original article:   http://www.khou.com