Court Documents: Actor Fatally Overdosed on Ketamine by Assistant

Recent court documents reveal new details about the tragic death of “Friends” actor Matthew Perry, shedding light on his final days. The documentation outlines Perry’s deeply publicized battle with addiction, which culminated in his passing in October of the previous year due to “the acute effects of ketamine.”

Earlier this week, California prosecutors charged five individuals in connection with distributing ketamine to Perry during his final weeks. Among those charged was Perry’s personal live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who fancied himself as “Batman’s butler.” Iwamasa has already pleaded guilty to one count of “conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and serious bodily injury” and faces up to 15 years in prison.

Investigators claim Iwamasa worked with others to acquire at least $55,000 worth of ketamine, which they administered to Perry without proper medical licensure. Ketamine, known for its anesthetic and psychedelic properties, was being used by Perry for infusion therapy to combat depression and anxiety.

Perry’s treatment involved hallucinogenic effects; the drug alters one’s perception of sight and sound and can make users feel detached from pain and their surroundings. Despite its FDA approval as an anesthetic and its recognition as a fast-acting antidepressant, unauthorized ketamine use turned fatal for Perry.

In addition to Iwamasa, two other individuals, Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, were also implicated, with Sangha being referred to as the “The Ketamine Queen” of North Hollywood. The complex network of those charged includes physicians and alleged drug suppliers.

Iwamasa’s plea agreement discloses harrowing details about Perry’s final days. On September 30, Iwamasa learned to inject ketamine from Dr. Plasencia, who gave Perry two shots and left a vial with instructions. Iwamasa continued to use coded language to secure more ketamine from co-conspirators.

Two weeks before Perry’s death, on October 12, Dr. Plasencia administered a significant dose of ketamine, which caused a severe reaction, leading Perry to “freeze up” and lose his ability to speak or move. The doctor then advised against repeating the dose.

A few days before Perry’s death, Plasencia texted Iwamasa about taking a break from ketamine but indicated he had stocked up on more supplies. Despite knowing the risks, Iwamasa continued to inject Perry.

On the day of Perry’s death, October 28, 2023, Iwamasa injected him with ketamine in the morning, again at noon, and a final time near Perry’s jacuzzi upon his request. This amounted to three ketamine shots within five hours. Later, Iwamasa left the house for errands and returned to find Perry face down in the pool.

Authorities responded at 4:07 p.m., finding Perry unconscious in his jacuzzi and pronounced him dead 10 minutes later. A subsequent autopsy confirmed “the acute effects of ketamine” as the cause of death, ruling it an accident.

Just days before his tragic passing, Perry had shared an Instagram photo from his jacuzzi, captioned, “Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good? I’m Mattman.”

The revelations in these court documents painfully echo themes from Perry’s memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” The book, detailing his lifelong struggle with addiction and pursuit of sobriety, concludes with optimistic messages about fighting addiction together and finding peace.

The memoir ends poignantly, stating, “Someday, you might be called upon to do something important. So, be ready for it and when whatever happens, think ‘What would Batman do?’ and do that.”

Source: USA Today