ALBAWABA - Matthew Perry, an actor, died from a drug overdose, and a doctor has pleaded guilty.
Mark Chavez, one of the two physicians accused of the death of "Friends" actor Matthew Perry, pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Los Angeles to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine as part of a plea deal.
Dr. Mark Chavez entered a new guilty plea in a Los Angeles court on a charge of distributing the anesthetic ketamine for surgery.
The 54-year-old Chavez ran a ketamine clinic from which Dr. Salvador Plasencia bought ketamine lozenges, who in turn gave them to Friends actor Tyler Perry.
Chavez is among the five individuals indicted for Perry's murder. October 2023 saw the actor's body discovered in his southern California backyard jacuzzi; he was 54 years old.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office postmortem report describes Perry's death in October 2023 as the result of "acute effects" from the anesthetic and subsequent drowning. According to the deal, Chavez officially pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide ketamine to Perry. His age was 54.
The postmortem investigation revealed high concentrations of the drug ketamine in his blood, which caused his death.
Depression, anxiety, and pain are some of the conditions that ketamine can alleviate.
According to his plea deal, Chavez confessed to getting ketamine from a wholesale distributor and his previous clinic by forging prescriptions.
Kenneth Iwamasa, who was Perry's assistant, allegedly conspired with the two physicians to give the actor over $50,000 (£38,000) worth of ketamine in the weeks leading up to his death, according to the prosecution.
The two physicians allegedly exchanged numerous text messages, one of which read, "I wonder how much this moron will pay," while they were determining the appropriate charge for the medication vials.
Chavez still faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, but he may plead guilty to a reduced charge in exchange for his cooperation with the investigation.
He has taken responsibility for himself. His counsel informed the court that he is cooperating.
Chavez has promptly surrendered his passport and consented to relinquish his medical license.
He will remain free on bond until his sentence on April 2, 2025.
