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A doctor who was charged with the sudden death of Matthew Perry two years ago appeared on Wednesday before a federal court in Los Angeles. And took on responsibility For his role in the run-up to the fatal ketamine overdose of the Friends actor.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 43, believed in four charges of the distribution of ketamine. The charges result in a maximum total penalty of 40 years of federal prison. The judgment is scheduled for December 3.
Plasencia was arrested with Jasveen Sangha last August, who described the prosecutors as “Ketamine Queen” by North Hollywood. Plasencia repeatedly dabbed his face with a handkerchief while stood in the courtroom on Wednesday. And listened to the statements by the public prosecutor’s office on the evidence against him. He admitted that he had personally injected Perry with liquid ketamine in the weeks before his death. Among them in a car in front of the Long Beach aquarium. And that he had sold Perry Vials of the dissociative anesthetic for use at home “without a legitimate medical purpose”.
Plasencia owed her guilty – but death drug did not come from him
As part of the comparison read in the court, the prosecutors agreed that the exact batch of ketamine, which was in the body of the 54-year-old actor when he was found on October 28, 2023 with his face down in his whirlpool, did not come from Plasencia. (An autopsy later showed that Perry had died of the acute effects of ketamine in his house in the Pacific Palisades district of Los Angeles.)
After Plasencia had presented his admission of guilt with an indistinguishable voice, US district judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett agreed to leave the doctor at the company until his verdict. His lawyer Karen L. Goldstein argued that he had no criminal record. A two -year -old son. And close ties to the community. Goldstein also explained that Plasencia intended to give up his medical approval within the next 45 days.
“Dr. Plasencia feels deeply regret for the treatment decisions that he met in the administration of ketamine to Matthew Perry. He assumes full responsibility by committed to drug sales,” said Goldstein in a statement published after the hearing.
“He hopes that his case serves as a warning”
“Dr. Plasencia intends to voluntarily return his medical approval. He thus recognizes his failure to protect Mr. Perry – a patient who was particularly at risk due to his addiction,” she said. “Although Dr. Plasencia Mr. Perry did not deal with the time of his death, he hopes that his case serves as a warning for other doctors and leads to a stricter supervision and clear protocols for the rapidly growing ketamine home treatment industry to prevent future tragedies like this.”
When federal officers published their indictment with 18 points last year, they identified Plasencia and Sangha as the “leading defendants” in the case. They explained Perry’s house agent Kenneth Iwamasa, Dr. Mark Chavez (another doctor) and Erik Fleming, a local man who allegedly acted as an intermediary for Sangha when selling ketamine to Perry, had already accepted comparative agreements in the procedure.
“”[Plasencia] Basically acted like a road dealer who sold a well-known person a dangerous substance, ”said deputy US prosecutor Ian Yanniello last year at Plasencia’s first hearing.“ He commented on another patient that the victim got out of control, and offered [Perry] Still further ketamine. “
He splashed Perry in the car – left over Vials despite the health reaction
In his comparison agreement on June 13, Plasencia admitted that he once injected Perry ketamine, while the actor was in front of the aquarium in Long Beach in the back seat of a car. He also admitted that he visited Perry’s house on October 12, 2023, administered ketamine and then observed how Perry’s “climbed blood pressure” and the actor “frozen”.
“Despite the reaction of the victim MP, the defendant left further ketamine vials with the accused Iwamasa-knowing that Iwamasa would inject the ketamine to the victim MP,” says the comparison agreement.
Sangha continued in custody – Plasencia sent cynical text messages
At his first hearing, Plasencia initially became aware of “not guilty” last year and was released for the deposit. Sangha, 42, was taken into custody and is waiting for her process. In August, the public prosecutor argued that it represents an escape risk – because of her British citizenship and because it allegedly sold ketamine after Perry’s death and death of another man in 2019, which was also associated with ketamine she delivered.
Authorities stated that Perry became dependent on intravenous ketamine in autumn 2023 during treatment against depression and anxiety in a clinic. When the clinic refused to increase the dose, Perry had contacted the four suppliers who have now been accused.
According to the public prosecutor, Plasencia and Chavez Perry sold around 20 VILLE KETAMINE for a total of $ 55,000 in cash in the last weeks of his life. The doctors calculated Perry $ 2,000 for a single VIAL – although Chavez had acquired it for about $ 12.
“I wonder how much this idiot pays? … let [es] Find out to us ”, according to the indictment on September 30, 2023, by SMS to Chavez. Later on this day, Plasencia Perry in his house ketamine and left further VIALs so that Iwamasa administered it – although he had no medical education. After the meeting, Plasencia Chavez was“ like a bad film ”.
Chavez is scheduled to be convicted on September 17th. Fleming has its appointment for the verdict on November 12, while Iwamasa is scheduled to be released on November 19.