Matthew Perry's Doc, Mark Chavez Guilty in Death Probe

Matthew Perry's Doctor Pleads Guilty In Death Case

Matthew Perry's physician, Mark Chavez, has acknowledged his wrongdoing and entered a guilty plea in connection with the inquiry into Perry's death. He may be facing a possible prison term of up to 10 years.

Dr. Mark Chavez, one of the two physicians implicated in Matthew Perry's death in October 2023, has pled guilty to a conspiracy charge related to the distribution of ketamine.

Chavez Pleads Guilty To Ketamine Conspiracy

He may receive a prison sentence of up to 10 years, but his court date for sentencing is set for April 2, 2025. In the meantime, Chavez is currently free on a $50,000 bond. Reports indicate that he has surrendered his passport and medical license and has pledged not to work in the medical field.

During his first court appearance in Los Angeles on August 30, Chavez accepted a plea deal. He agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges for distributing the surgical anesthetic ketamine, according to the Associated Press. His lawyer, Matthew Binninger, stated that Chavez is truly sorry, not only about the situation involving Matthew Perry but also concerning the effects on a patient.

"He's putting in a lot of effort to rectify this situation. While he didn't take accountability today, that was just because it wasn't part of the discussion," Binninger said. When asked what message he would share with Perry's family if given the chance, Binninger replied, "I can't really say much except that we feel tremendous grief for the loss of life. Whether he was a public figure or not doesn't change the fact that he was loved by so many. What happened is incredibly heartbreaking."

"Friends Star Perry Found Dead At 54"

He had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy for his anxiety and depression, with his most recent treatment taking place a week and a half before he died. It was discovered that the ketamine he used shortly before his death was not prescribed by a qualified doctor. On August 15, Chavez and four others — Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Erik Fleming, Kenneth Iwamasa, and Javeen Sangha, who is known as “the Ketamine Queen” — were arrested in connection with Perry’s passing.

In his plea deal, Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia, which he obtained from his former clinic, as stated in a government press release from August. He also procured additional ketamine for Plasencia by deceiving a wholesale supplier and submitting a fraudulent prescription using the name of a former patient, without that patient's awareness or approval.

Prosecutors claimed that Chavez knew Plasencia had very little, if any, experience in using ketamine for patient treatment, according to court filings. Despite this, Chavez let Plasencia know that he had ketamine vials for sale. Chavez is the third person to admit guilt in this case, joining Iwamasa, 59, and Fleming, 54. On the other hand, both Sangha, 41, and Plasencia have pleaded not guilty.

Ketamine is an anesthetic that has unique dissociative effects, which can sometimes result in hallucinatory experiences. It changes the way people experience visual and auditory stimuli, often causing feelings of detachment and a loss of control. This fast-acting injectable anesthetic is utilized for both human and animal patients.

The phrase "dissociative anesthetic" refers to its capacity to make people feel separated from their discomfort and environment. When given, ketamine can promote a state of calm and relaxation, lead to temporary immobility, alleviate pain, and cause forgetfulness about what happens during its effects.

Sadly, there are times when it's misapplied, leading to feelings of detachment and hallucinations. Additionally, it has been associated with cases of sexual assault.