Matthew Perry’s death will be the focus of a high-profile trial next year, as a California judge has ruled that Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen,” will face a joint trial starting on 4 March.
Both individuals are among five people charged in connection with the actor’s death, which occurred on 28 October from the acute effects of ketamine.
Perry had been struggling with depression and anxiety and became addicted to intravenous ketamine, reportedly using the drug six to eight times a day before his death.
Dr. Plasencia, a Santa Monica-based doctor, is accused of using Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, to supply the actor with ketamine over a two-month period from September to October last year. The ketamine deliveries allegedly cost Perry at least $55,000.
Sangha, an alleged drug dealer, is accused of selling ketamine to Perry for $11,000 in cash. Authorities claim that Sangha would first sell the drug to Eric Fleming, another defendant and a friend of Perry, who would then pass it on to Perry’s assistant for delivery to the actor. A drug enforcement administrator has stated that the ketamine provided by Sangha was the dose that ultimately led to Perry’s death.
Dr. Plasencia faces severe legal consequences if convicted, with a maximum sentence of 120 years in federal prison. He has denied the charges against him, which include conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of ketamine distribution, and charges related to falsifying documents during the investigation.
Sangha, who faces life imprisonment, has also pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to distribute ketamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and ketamine, and five counts of ketamine distribution.
Three other individuals involved in the case have already pleaded guilty. Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s assistant; Eric Fleming, Perry’s acquaintance; and Dr. Mark Chavez, another doctor implicated in the case, admitted their roles in the illegal drug distribution scheme.
Dr. Chavez allegedly provided ketamine to Plasencia after obtaining it through a fraudulent prescription. The guilty pleas of these individuals add to the weight of the case against Plasencia and Sangha, who now await trial.
Court documents have revealed incriminating communications between some of the defendants, suggesting a calculated operation to supply drugs to Perry. In one instance, Dr. Plasencia allegedly messaged Dr. Chavez, mocking the actor by saying, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
This evidence is likely to play a significant role in the upcoming trial, as the court seeks to establish the extent of the defendants’ involvement in Perry’s death and determine the appropriate legal consequences.
