Doctor pleads guilty in connection with death of Friends star Matthew Perry

-
Doctor pleads guilty in connection with death of Friends star Matthew Perry

One of two doctors charged in connection with actor Matthew Perry’s death has pleaded guilty in a federal court in Los Angeles, after reaching a deal with prosecutors. Mark Chavez, a doctor from San Diego, formally admitted conspiring to distribute the surgical anaesthetic ketamine during a change-of-plea hearing on Wednesday.

The 54-year-old is the third person to accept charges following the death of Friends star Perry, who died on October 28 last year from the “acute effects of ketamine” at the age of 54. US District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett scheduled a sentence hearing for April 2, 2025.

Chavez, who is free on a 50,000 dollar (£37,600) bond, exited the courtroom with his lawyer. In his plea agreement, Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to another doctor, Salvador Plasencia, from Santa Monica, having diverted it from his former ketamine clinic.

READ MORE: Matthew Perry’s doctor and ‘Ketamine Queen’ trial date set over Friends star’s death

Dr Mark Chavez, a physician from San Diego (Damian Dovarganes)
Dr Mark Chavez (centre), a physician from San Diego (Damian Dovarganes/AP/PA)

Plasencia is set to face a trial on March 4 next year, after allegedly using Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa to distribute ketamine to the actor from September to October last year for 55,000 dollars (£43,000). Perry had been seeking treatment for depression and anxiety when he became addicted to intravenous ketamine last autumn.

According to the initial indictment, Plasencia is said to have conspired with fellow doctor Chavez to supply Perry with large amounts of ketamine, writing in a message: “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “let’s find out”. Plasencia will stand trial alongside Jasveen Sangha – an alleged drug dealer named by authorities as “the ketamine queen” – who is said to have sold ketamine to Perry for 11,000 dollars (£8,553) in cash.

The ketamine supplied by Sangha was ultimately the dose that took Perry’s life, a Drug Enforcement Administrator previously claimed. Plasencia is facing a maximum sentence of 120 years in federal prison, while Sangha is facing life imprisonment.

During a previous court appearance, Plasencia denied conspiracy to distribute ketamine; seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two charges related to allegations he falsified documents during the investigation into Perry’s death. Sangha also plead not guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine; maintaining a drug-involved premises; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.

Perry, who played Chandler Bing in hit US sitcom Friends, died after receiving several injections of ketamine from his live-in assistant Iwamasa. Iwamasa plead guilty on August 7 to conspiring to distribute ketamine causing death – admitting to “repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training”. His sentencing has been set for November 6.

During the last few weeks of his life, Perry “turned to street dealer” Erik Fleming who is said to have sourced ketamine from Sangha. Fleming pleaded guilty on August 8 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death. He is set to be sentenced on October 30. Plasencia is currently on release after posting a 100,000 dollar (£78,000) bond, while a judge denied bond for Sangha.

Want more from MyLondon? Sign up to our daily newsletters for all the latest and greatest from across London here.

Adblock test (Why?)



(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Travel chaos inbound as Trams partly closed for 14 days in a row and sections of Overground shut for 8 days

-
Image
Londoners are preparing for two significant closures of parts of the capital's transport network in the coming weeks. Transport for London's (TfL) has said that its Tram network will be partly shut for 14 days in a row between February 10 and 23. The authority's calendar has also denoted that sections of the Overground will be shut for eight days. Between Saturday, Febraury 10, and Friday, February 23, there will be no Tram service between Reeves Corner and Sandilands. Bosses say a replacement bus service - the TL1 - will operate. READ MORE: HS2 won't start tunnelling to Euston for years as bosses wait for funding Sections of the London Overground will be closed for eight days (Image: Peter Zelei/Getty) Meanwhile, closures on the Overground will vary. Here is a full breakdown of what is planned: On February 3 and 4, there will be no service between Willesden Junction and Stratford. Replacement buses operate between Willesden Junction and Camden R...
« Blog »

Father of bullied Barnet girl, 14, says he's a 'victim of a failing system' after her suicide

-
Image
The father of a bullied North London schoolgirl said he is a 'victim of a failing system' following her suicide. Mia Janin, 14, took her own life after receiving a torrent of horrendous messages on social media. The Year 10 pupil at the Jewish Free School (JFS) in Kenton in Harrow, North West London was found dead at her family home in Barnet on March 12, 2021. At an inquest into her death, North London area coroner Tony Murphy concluded that Mia, 14, 'took her life while still a child and while still in the process of maturing into adulthood', at Barnet Coroner's Court on Friday. Mia's father, Mariano Janin, paid tribute to his daughter, saying: "She was fantastic, she was very bubbly, good sense of humour, she was beautiful, she was very kind, very creative." Mr Murphy, whose wife Marisa has since died as well, said Mia was last seen alive at about 10pm on March 11 2021, when she said good night to her parents in their family home. READ MORE...
« Blog »

Furious Sutton SEND parents slam 'disrespect' from council and announce end to 10-year partnership

-
Image
A forum made up of parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities has cut ties with Sutton Council, accusing the authority of a lack of trust and not working effectively with them. Sutton’s Parents and Carer Forum (SPCF), which has advised the council and helped shape SEND policy for around 10 years, cites ‘disrespect’ shown to them by Sutton Council as one of their reasons for deciding to cease contact with them as of March 3 this year. This decision could leave Sutton Council able to make SEND related decisions without any oversight or input from the parents they impact, however the council says it's looking into finding a new independent group to fill the void. SPCF is an Ofsted and Department for Education recognised body that has represented the borough’s SEND families for the last decade. According to their post, published on X last Friday: “The role of the parent carers on the Steering Group is to lead this work and listen to the views and...
« Blog »