Former doctor gets probation for trying to have his wife killed

LAS VEGAS (AP) - A former Beverly Hills, Calif., plastic surgeon has been placed on probation for trying to hire a hitman to kill his wife last year.

Defense attorney David Chesnoff said Wednesday his client, Ian Steven Brown, was under the influence and suffering from some mental problems when he asked a man at the Rio Suite Hotel and Casino to kill his wife.

The man instead went to police, who wired him and sent him back to talk to Brown again.

Brown pleaded guilty in January to two counts of solicitation to commit murder. The plea agreement called for him to pay a $20,000 fine and to be placed on unsupervised probation for one year.

Brown was formally sentenced by District Judge Sally Loehrer Wednesday.

Brown, who is in his 50s, has given up his medical license and is living in Mexico.

Prosecutors gave no motive for the murder-for-hire plot.