One of two doctors charged in connection with actor Matthew Perry’s death has pleaded guilty in a federal court in Los Angeles, after reaching a deal with prosecutors. Mark Chavez, a doctor from San Diego, formally admitted conspiring to distribute the surgical anaesthetic ketamine during a change-of-plea hearing on Wednesday. The 54-year-old is the third person to accept charges following the death of Friends star Perry, who died on October 28 last year from the “acute effects of ketamine” at the age of 54.
US District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett scheduled a sentence hearing for April 2 2025. Chavez, who is free on a 50,000 dollar (£37,600) bond, exited the courtroom with his lawyer. In his plea agreement, Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to another doctor, Salvador Plasencia, from Santa Monica, having diverted it from his former ketamine clinic.
Plasencia is set to face a trial on March 4 next year, after allegedly using Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa to distribute ketamine to the actor from September to October last year for 55,000 dollars (£43,000). Perry had been seeking treatment for depression and anxiety when he became addicted to intravenous ketamine last autumn. According to the initial indictment, Plasencia is said to have conspired with fellow doctor Chavez to supply Perry with large amounts of ketamine, writing in a message: “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “let’s find out”.
Plasencia will stand trial alongside Jasvee.