Michael Brown sentenced to 30 days in federal prison

The Browns, shown in 2009, were fixtures on the Houston social scene. Rachel Brown, Michael Brown's fourth wife, accused him of twisting her arm during a screaming, swearing confrontation in 2010. He was later acquitted of charges. With their children, the two starred in commercials for Brown's Hand Center. less The Browns, shown in 2009, were fixtures on the Houston social scene. Rachel Brown, Michael Brown's fourth wife, accused him of twisting her arm during a screaming, swearing confrontation in 2010. He was later ... more Photo: Dave Rossman, For The Chronicle Photo: Dave Rossman, For The Chronicle Image 1 of / 41 Caption Close Michael Brown sentenced to 30 days in federal prison 1 / 41 Back to Gallery

A federal judge in Miami has sentenced former Houston hand surgeon Michael Brown to 30 days in prison after Brown pleaded guilty to interfering with a flight attendant.

Under terms of the sentencing on Wednesday, Brown is scheduled to surrender himself Oct. 25 to U.S. marshals in Miami.

Meanwhile, the trial in Brown's divorce from his fourth wife, Rachel Brown, is scheduled to begin Sept. 30 in Harris County.

The sentence in the flight attendant case also included two years of supervised release with these conditions: mental health treatment, substance abuse evaluation, permissible search, and anger management as directed by U.S. Probation, according to the sentencing document posted online.

U.S. District Judge Donald Graham also assessed Brown $100 and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine.

On July 16, Brown pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting or intimidating a flight attendant.

The charge stemmed from an incident Jan. 2 on a flight from London to Miami.

Brown was 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 noncommercial flights for purposes of litigation, business or visiting his minor children in Texas, according to court records.

The case had been set to go to trial July 22.

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

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

In court documents filed June 11, attorneys with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Florida stated that the defendant was expected to argue that he had a "dissociative episode" due to taking a sedative plus alcohol and had no memory of assaulting two flight attendants.

"This is precisely the sort of defense which is squarely precluded by law," the government's June 11 filing stated.