The case of Matthew Perry’s death is being discussed in court in the United States. Two of the five defendants have been convicted of selling ketamine to Perry just a few weeks before the actress’ death.
Matthew Perry, the actor who starred in Friends, died in 2023. PDO
Two actors Matthew Perry the doctor has received a sentence. Doctors sold ketamine to the Frendit star, who died of an overdose in 2023.
On Tuesday, the doctor Mark Chavez55, was sentenced to eight months of house arrest in the case, the news agency AFP reports. In addition, he must complete 300 hours of community service.
Chavez admitted to selling high-priced ketamine to Perry just weeks before the actor’s death. Perry had paid up to 2,000 dollars, or about 1,700 euros, for one bottle of medicine.
Mark Chavez was filmed leaving the courthouse in 2024. Chavez has pleaded guilty to selling ketamine to Perry. EPA / AOP
Doctor calls Perry an ‘idiot’
Chavez delivered the ketamine he obtained with a forged prescription to his medical colleague For Salvador Plasenciawho was sentenced to two and a half years in prison earlier this month. Plasencia resold the ketamine to Perry. Both of the convicts have renounced their professional rights as doctors.
According to court documents, in text messages sent to Chavez, Plasencia called Perry an “idiot” who agrees to pay a high price for ketamine.
In addition to the doctors, three other people have admitted their involvement in supplying the drugs to Perry. They will be sentenced in the coming months.
One of them is called the “ketamine queen”. Jasveen Sanghawho was still running the drug business for months after Perry’s death. He faces a sentence of up to 65 years.
Substance addiction in the background
Perry had struggled with drug addiction for a long time. After his death, a criminal investigation was opened after an autopsy revealed high levels of ketamine.
Perry’s doctor had prescribed ketamine to treat depression. According to prosecutors, however, Perry became addicted to the drug, which is also used as a narcotic. The doctor refused to prescribe ketamine in the large amounts Perry would have liked, so Perry turned to Plasencia, says NBC News.
Plasencia had not sold the dose that caused Perry’s death. However, according to the judge, Plasencia had taken advantage of Perry’s addiction to make a profit from his ketamine trade.