HOUSTON -- A flight attendant who accuses the wife of nationally known pastor Joel Osteen of assaulting her during an angry outburst over a stain on her first-class seat wants an apology and 10 percent of the woman’s net worth as part of civil lawsuit set to begin Wednesday.

Continental Airlines flight attendant Sharon Brown sued Victoria Osteen, co-pastor of Houston’s popular Lakewood Church, alleging assault before the start of a 2005 flight from Houston to Vail, Colo. Brown alleges Victoria Osteen threw her against a bathroom door and elbowed her in the left breast.

AP photo

Victoria and Joel Osteen

Victoria Osteen’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said before jury selection began Wednesday that those claims are false and that what happened was a “minor incident.” Hardin also asked a judge to throw out a federal report detailing the alleged incident.

Joel Osteen, who is expected to testify in the trial, was at his wife’s side Wednesday in court.

Brown’s attorney, Reginald McKamie, said he hopes the trial will show “that celebrity status doesn’t take precedence.” McKamie said Brown wants an apology and wants to punish Victoria Osteen with punitive damages amounting to 10 percent of her net worth.

The Federal Aviation Administration fined Victoria Osteen $3,000 for interfering with a crew member. The FAA report states Victoria Osteen asked another attendant to clean a liquid on her first-class seat armrest. When that attendant said she would get another flight attendant, Osteen grabbed a second flight attendant and took her to the seat, the report said.

The second attendant said she would call cleaning personnel and headed to the cockpit, the FAA said. Victoria Osteen followed her and came across Brown, whom she pushed and elbowed in an attempt to get to the cockpit, according to the report.

Brown’s suit claims the flight attendants asked to have Victoria Osteen removed from the plane. Hardin says Victoria Osteen and her family left voluntarily.

During a court hearing Wednesday before jury selection began, Hardin asked that the FAA report’s findings not be allowed to be heard during the trial.

“The FAA does in all due respect an incredibly incomplete investigation,” Hardin said.

McKamie said the FAA did an appropriate investigation.

State District Judge Patricia Hancock said she would make a

decision later on whether the report would be allowed .

According to court documents, Brown claims that she suffers from anxiety and hemorrhoids because of the incident and said her faith was affected. She is also suing Osteen for medical expenses for counseling.

“We just want the jury to hear the evidence and make a decision,” McKamie told reporters.

Joel Osteen preaches at Lakewood, a megachurch where about 42,000 people flock each week. Services are held at a 16,000 seat facility that was formerly the Houston Rockets’ basketball arena.  His weekly television address is broadcast nationally and internationally.