Matthew Perry's family issues stern warning to star's doctor ahead of trial

For free, real-time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox, sign up for our breaking news emails

Sign up for our free breaking news emails

Sign up for our free breaking news emails

Matthew Perry's family have issued a warning to those accused of supplying the murder Friends Stern with the fatal dose of ketamine that killed him in October 2023.

Appears on the Today show on Monday (October 28) — exactly one year after Perry's death at age 54 — his family sat down with host Savannah Guthrie to reflect on the actor's legacy as well as the justice they deserve at the show, set for March 2025 Two of the five people who allegedly supplied him with the drugs will be brought to trial.

“I’m thrilled,” Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison, said of the trial.

“What I'm hoping, and I think the authorities who got involved in this are hoping, is that people who have made it their mission to supply people with drugs that kill them are now being put on notice,” said Perry's stepfather, Keith Morrison added.

“It doesn’t matter what your professional qualifications are, you’re going to sink, baby.”

In the months following Perry's death from acute complications of ketamine, a federal and local investigation was launched to determine who supplied the actor with the drug.

Before his death, Perry had received ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety, but it was ruled that the therapy was not the cause of his death. Instead, prosecutors found that the actor had taken unsupervised doses of the drug and that his addiction was “out of control,” according to NBC News.

After a seven-month investigation, five people were arrested and charged in connection with Perry's death.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia is accused of providing the actor with the drug, and Perry's assistant Kenneth Iwamasa injected him with a syringe on the day of his death, the files say. Dr. Mark Chavez, owner of a San Diego ketamine clinic, is charged in the death. Erik Fleming, a friend of a friend of Perry's, allegedly supplied the drug along with Jasveen Sangha, a saleswoman dubbed the “Ketamine Queen.”

Chavez, Iwamasa and Fleming have all pleaded guilty to their charges.

Prosecutors offered the three lesser charges in exchange for their cooperation in prosecuting Plasencia and Sangha, whom they accuse of exploiting Perry's addiction despite being aware of his difficulties and attempts to get sober.

Plasencia and Sangha, who have pleaded not guilty to their charges, will stand trial next March.

If you are affected by this article, you can contact the following organizations for assistance: actiononaddiction.org.uk, mind.org.uk, nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth, mentalhealth.org.uk.