**Doctor Admits Supplying Ketamine to Matthew Perry Amid High-Profile Overdose Case**
A Los Angeles physician charged in connection with the tragic overdose death of ‘Friends’ actor Matthew Perry has formally pleaded guilty to the unlawful distribution of ketamine. Dr Salvador Plasencia, aged 43, is now the fourth out of five individuals facing charges relating to Perry’s death to admit criminal responsibility.
Plasencia’s admission was delivered in a solemn Los Angeles courtroom, where he stood alongside his legal counsel before Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett. He entered a guilty plea on four separate counts relating to the supply of ketamine. These offences, linked to the events preceding Perry’s passing on 28 October 2023 at his home, carry a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment. However, sentencing norms suggest he will likely receive a considerably shorter term, but no formal promises have been made in his plea agreement.
The physician had been due to stand trial in August but avoided the prospect of a lengthy public hearing by consenting to the plea bargain. In a written statement released by his lawyer, Debra White, following the hearing, Plasencia expressed profound remorse for his treatment of Perry. Accepting full accountability for his actions, Plasencia confirmed he would voluntarily relinquish his medical licence, recognising his failure to safeguard Perry—who was especially vulnerable due to his history of addiction.
The legal proceedings revealed that prosecutors have agreed to drop several other charges, including three additional ketamine distribution counts and two counts of falsifying records, as part of the plea. According to statements made in court, while Plasencia did not supply Perry with the fatal dose, he did provide significant amounts of the drug—despite clear indications of Perry’s struggles with substance dependency. This suggests a deeper issue of medical oversight and responsibility, particularly when treating patients at risk of addiction relapse.
Further details presented during the hearing described how Plasencia once administered an injection to the actor that resulted in alarming physical side effects, including paralysis and elevated blood pressure. Undeterred, the doctor reportedly left further ketamine doses for Perry’s assistant to administer, fully aware of the risks. Throughout proceedings, Perry was identified only as “victim MP,” underlining the court’s insistence on decorum and privacy.
Dr Plasencia, who has been free on bond since his arrest in August, is permitted to remain at liberty until sentencing is scheduled on 3 December. Defence representatives assured the judge their client poses no flight risk, highlighting Plasencia’s strong family ties and his role as a carer to his two-year-old son. In compliance with regulatory requirements, he has already surrendered his ability to prescribe controlled substances and will now cede his entire medical license, as confirmed by his barrister Karen Goldstein.
Notably, Plasencia’s legal team also emphasised that despite not treating Perry at the time of his death, their client wishes his case to serve as a cautionary tale. They have called for more stringent regulatory measures and clearer standards within the burgeoning at-home ketamine treatment sector, to mitigate the risk of similar tragedies.
The broader investigation into Perry’s death continues, with one principal defendant remaining. Jasveen Sangha, allegedly a thriving ketamine dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen,” is accused of supplying the fatal dose. She has pleaded not guilty, with her trial scheduled to commence next month.
Matthew Perry’s well-documented battle with addiction has long been in the public eye, dating back to his days portraying Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom ‘Friends’ in the 1990s and early 2000s. The deeply personal struggles of such a beloved public figure have reignited conversations on addiction, celebrity, and the responsibilities of those in positions of care.
As legal proceedings progress, the medical and entertainment communities alike are urged to reflect on lessons learned, with calls for improved safeguards for vulnerable individuals and more robustly monitored treatment protocols, particularly for at-risk patients seeking alternative therapies like at-home ketamine. The outcome of these cases will likely shape future regulations and professional expectations in both the medical and entertainment worlds.