Dr. Salvador Plasencia, one of the professionals who supplied Matthew Perry with ketamine, was found guilty on Wednesday (12/3) of involvement in the death of the beloved Friends actor. He died in 2023 due to a fatal overdose of the drug.
According to the decision of the Los Angeles (USA) court, the doctor must spend 30 months in prison, in addition to losing his medical license. He is the first of five accused in the death of the American actor to be convicted.
Read also
-
Celebrities
Jennifer Aniston says mourning for Matthew Perry began before his death
-
Celebrities
Matthew Perry: Doctor accused of overdosing on actor pleads guilty
-
Celebrities
The Friends actress says Matthew Perry visited her after her death
-
Celebrities
A documentary reveals shocking details about the death of Matthew Perry
6 photos
Conditional closure.
1 of 6
(From left): American actors Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow from the primetime comedy series Friends pose for a photo at the Golden Globe Awards, January 1996. (Photo by William Holz/Photos International/Getty Images)
William Holz/International Pictures/Getty Images 2 of 6
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – MAY 10: Actor Matthew Perry and actress Courteney Cox Arquette mingle at the AFI Associates Luncheon Honoring Hollywood’s Arquette Family with the 6th Annual “Platinum Circle Award” held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on May 10, 2006 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI)
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI3 of 6
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 08: Matthew Perry poses for a photo shoot for The End Of Longing, a new play he wrote and stars in at The Playhouse, on February 8, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Bennett/Dave Bennett/Getty Images)
David M. Bennett/Dave Bennett/Getty Images 4 of 6
From the TV show “The Kennedys – After Camelot” speaks on stage during the REELZChannel portion of the 2017 Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour at the Langham Hotel on January 13, 2017 in Pasadena, California
Getty Images 5 of 6
NEW YORK, NY – 1995: American actress and producer Jennifer Aniston and Canadian-American actor, comedian and producer Matthew Perry from the television comedy, Friends, attend the 1995 NBC Fall Preview circa 1995 at Lincoln Center in New York, New York. (Photo by Ron Davis/Getty Images)
Ron Davis/Getty Images 6 of 6
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 17: Matthew Perry attends the 2022 GQ Men of the Year Party at The West Hollywood EDITION on November 17, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Philip Faraone/Getty Images for GQ)
Philip Farone/Getty Images for GQ Magazine
Although Perry was not provided with the fatal dose of ketamine, Plascencia abused the drug to treat depression and anxiety in the weeks leading up to the actor’s death. The drug was allegedly obtained illegally and resold at exorbitant prices.
Other defendants include doctor Mark Chavez, who in October pleaded guilty to participating in the supply of the drug; and Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen,” who is responsible for running a scheme to sell the drug to celebrities.
Ketamine was initially prescribed to Matthew Perry as part of supervised treatment for depression. However, according to the Los Angeles court, the actor became dependent on the substance. He was found dead in the bathtub of the house he lived in in Los Angeles in 2023.