One of the two California doctors charged for the overdose death of ”Friends” star Matthew Perry has pleaded guilty to the illegal distribution of the drug ketamine. Dr. Mark Chavez who hails from San Diego submitted his plea on Wednesday during a session at US District Court in Los Angeles. He can now be sentenced to at least 10 years in prison. The sentencing has been scheduled for next year in April.
All about the legal proceedings
The case lists several people like Dr. Salvador Plasencia who is another physician along with co-defendant Jasveen Sangha who has pleaded not guilty in the case. Sangha is well known for illegally supplying ketamine and is also known as ‘ketamine queen”. The trial for these people is scheduled to take place in March. Perry’s live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa has accepted injecting the actor with the drug and has already pleaded guilty in the case. He has also admitted that he used to get ketamine from Sangha.
It was also revealed by the Prosecutors that Plasencia had bought ketamine from Chavez and had also sent a text to him discussing the price Perry would pay for it. One of the remarks included,” I am thinking how much this moron will pay.” Chavez who is aged 54 answered the series of questions asked by the Judge in the court and also agreed to obtain ketamine through a fake prescription that was meant for another patient. He also was aware that the drug was for Perry.
Dr Chaves accepted that he provided drugs
Chavez agreed that he had given ketamine to Plasencia, though he was fully aware that it should be given only under medical supervision by following proper safety norms. As per court documents, Plasencia gave ketamine to Perry at his home and it was injected by the assistant. However, Plasencia’s legal advisor stated that his client had been properly prescribed and had been given the drug.
All about Pery’s overdose case
Perry lost his life at the age of 54 in the last year of October because of the severe effects of ketamine which was mixed with other factors resulting in his drowning in a hot tub. The actor has accepted that he was struggling with substance abuse all through his career even while portraying Chandler Bing on the iconic sitcom ”Friends”.
(With inputs from Reuters)