Former Houston hand surgeon set to change plea in upcoming Florida hearing

Michael Brown sits in the Harris County Criminal Justice Center as his assault trial continues Tuesday. (Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle) Michael Brown sits in the Harris County Criminal Justice Center as his assault trial continues Tuesday. (Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle) Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Former Houston hand surgeon set to change plea in upcoming Florida hearing 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Michael Brown, who is accused of interfering with a flight attendant on a January flight from London to Miami, plans to change his "not guilty" plea, according to court records.

The case has been scheduled for a "change of plea and sentencing hearing" on July 16 in U.S. District Court in Miami. The case was set to go to trial July 22.

While free on $250,000 bond, Brown is living in Miami, according to court records.

Lawyers for the former hand surgeon, who has been involved in various court cases in the past two years, did not return calls for comment on the plan to change his plea.

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 from London to Miami.

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 states.

In another document filed June 11 by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Perwin, the government stated that a former household worker of Brown's was expected to testify during the upcoming trial that, sometime in 2009 or 2010, Brown's ex-wife cautioned him not to mix alcohol with medication.

But Brown ignored the warning and became "wild," pulling down his pants and making lewd remarks to his bodyguard, according to court records outlining the household worker's expected testimony.

A former bodyguard of Brown's was also expected to testify that on a 2009 flight to Argentina, the bodyguard learned the captain was planning to divert the flight to Panama because Brown had allegedly urinated on the walls and floor of the first-class lavatory, according to court records.

The order setting the date for the change-of-plea hearing was signed July 1 by U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham in Miami.

On July 2, the court approved a request from Houston attorney Jack B. Zimmermann to appear as co-counsel for Brown's defense.