Dr. Mark Chavez of San Diego has pleaded guilty to illegally distributing ketamine in connection with the overdose death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry. Chavez, 54, faces up to 10 years in prison, while two others, including another doctor, are set to stand trial in March 2024.
One of two California doctors charged in the overdose death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry, Dr. Mark Chavez of San Diego, pleaded guilty Wednesday to illegally distributing ketamine.
Chavez, who appeared in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, faces up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing set for April. Another doctor, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, and co-defendant Jasveen Sangha, known as the "ketamine queen," have pleaded not guilty and are set to go to trial in March.
Perry's live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine, and the alleged middleman who got the drug from Jasveen Sangha, have both pleaded guilty. Authorities said Dr. Plasencia bought ketamine from Dr. Chavez and, in text messages to Chavez, wrote: "I wonder how much this moron will pay" when discussing the price to charge Perry.
In court on Wednesday, Chavez, 54, stood at a podium and answered "yes, your honor" to several questions. He admitted obtaining ketamine through a fraudulent prescription for another patient, knowing it was meant for Perry. Chavez also acknowledged giving the drug to Plasencia and understood it should only be administered under medical supervision with proper safety equipment nearby.
Court documents reveal that Plasencia administered ketamine to Perry at the actor's home and provided vials later injected by the assistant. Plasencia’s lawyer maintains his client properly prescribed and administered the drug.
Perry, 54, died in October 2023 from the "acute effects" of ketamine and other factors that caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub, per a December 2023 autopsy. The actor had long acknowledged his struggles with substance abuse, including during his time on "Friends."
Chavez pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors, accepting lesser charges for cooperating against Plasencia and Sangha. "He has accepted responsibility. He is cooperating," said Chavez's attorney, Matt Binninger. Chavez has given up his medical license and remains free on bond until sentencing.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 14th of May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A drug addiction counsellor who supplied ketamine to Matthew Perry in the weeks leading up to the actor’s fatal overdose has been sentenced to two years in federal prison in Los Angeles.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a California doctor, was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison on Wednesday for illegally supplying “Friends” sitcom star Matthew Perry with ketamine, the powerful sedative that led to the actor's drug overdose death in 2023.
The accused Los Angeles drug dealer known as the 'ketamine queen' has agreed to plead guilty to charges that she supplied the dose of the prescription aesthetic that killed 'Friends' star Matthew Perry, prosecutors said on Monday.
Five Azerbaijani crew members were killed, and three others were injured after two cargo vessels were hit in a drone attack in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday, as Russia blamed Ukraine for the strike.
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Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
Armenia’s National Assembly election on 7 June is increasingly being viewed not only as a domestic political contest, but also as a vote that could shape the future direction of the South Caucasus.
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Global pop-star Taylor Swift has announced the release of a new original song for Disney and Pixar’s animated film "Toy Story 5", following days of online speculation among fans.
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