Five people have been charged, including two doctors for the drug-related death of Friends star Matthew Perry.
The American actor was found deceased in the swimming pool of his California home on October 29, 2023, due to “acute effects of ketamine,” as issued by the Los Angeles Medical Examiner´s Office.
Matthew Perry´s death
The Friends star passed away at the age of 54, following a ketamine addiction, propelled by schemes of his close acquaintances and doctors, who encouraged Perry´s indulgence in substances to make a profit.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry´s addiction issues to enrich themselves,” stated the US attorney Martin Estrada. “They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr Perry, but they did it anyways. These defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr Perry than caring for his wellbeing.”
The defendants include the so-called “Ketamine Queen,” Jasveen Sangha, Perry´s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry´s acquaintance Eric Fleming, Dr. Mark Chavez, and Dr. Salvador Plasecnia.
Matthew Perry’s causes of death
Matthew Perry began using ketamine as a prescribed medication to treat declining mental health. The Drug Enforcement Administration stated; that Perry sought treatment for depression and anxiety and went to a “local clinic where he became addicted to intravenous ketamine”. When clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to unscrupulous doctors who saw Perry as a way to make quick money.”
A grand jury indictment filed in California alleged Dr. Plasecnia for selling ketamine and syringes to Perry´s assistant Iwamasa, as well as teaching him how to inject the substance. Normally used as an anaesthetic or a horse tranquilizer, ketamine is a dissociative substance that provokes a trance-like state and sedation.
The more Perry´s substance use increased, the bigger Dr- Plasecnia´s pockets grew; prosecutors alleged the doctor charged Perry “€1,819 a vial that cost Dr. Chavez approximately €10.” Within two weeks in early October 2023, Dr. Plasecnia received €29,000, including €19, 560 dollars in cash for ketamine from Perry´s assistant Iwamasa, alleged the indictment.
Plasencia was also reported for sending a text message which said; “I wonder how much this moron will pay,” before selling the substance to the actor. Prosecutors stated that Perry suffered a health crisis in the days before his death, as on October 12, he “froze up,” suffering from high blood pressure after being injected with a “large dose” of ketamine.
Messages of Dr. Plasencia to Iwamasa at the time were revealed, writing “Let´s not do that again.” Yet at the point of Perry´s death, his assistant had been consistently injecting “at least six shots” of ketamine to the actor per day.
On October 28, Iwamasa injected “at least three shots” of ketamine to Matthew Perry, “resulting in death and serious bodily injury.” Iwamasas was the one who found Perry deceased in his home. The substance was allegedly obtained from Perry´s acquaintances Eric Fleming and Jasveen Sangha.
Who will be held responsible for Matthew Perry´s death?
While Iwamasa and Fleming pleaded guilty to charges relating to Perry´s death, Dr. Chavez only pleaded guilty to distributing ketamine and Dr. Plasencia pleaded not guilty; his trial is scheduled to start on October 8. The judge agreed to a €90,970 bail bond with additional conditions and permitted Plasencia to continue his medical practice as long as each patient signed a form stating they were aware of the charges against the doctor.
Sangha also pleaded not guilty but was not released on bail, as she had already been on bail after an arrest issued in March this year, for a previous drug charge; her trial is scheduled for October 15.
Not the first, but hopefully, the last – Matthew Perry´s drug death
Perry wasn´t the first global star to die of an overdose; distinguished people like Amy Winehouse, Prince, Joan Rivers, and Heath Ledger had similarly died from their struggle of substance use, which despite their fame, was disregarded. With continuing cases of tragic deaths, it is time we begin to seriously re-address the issue of drug use and our judgment of those who face the devastating battle.
