Doctor in Matthew Perry death case appears in court after plea deal

Dr. Mark Chavez, a San Diego-based physician charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death due to an accidental ketamine overdose, made his first appearance in federal court in Los Angeles on Friday. During the appearance, Chavez acknowledged his rights before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jean P. Rosenbluth. He remains free on bond under conditions that include surrendering his passport and ceasing his medical practice. Additionally, Chavez has agreed to relinquish his medical license.

Chavez, 54, had earlier reached an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to charges of conspiring to distribute ketamine, a surgical anesthetic. While Chavez did not enter his guilty plea during this appearance, he is expected to finalize it before another judge at a future date.

Matthew Binninger, Chavez’s attorney, spoke outside the court alongside the doctor, emphasizing Chavez’s remorse for the incident. “He’s incredibly remorseful, not just because it happened to Matthew Perry, but because it happened to a patient,” Binninger said. “He’s doing everything in his power to right the wrong and cooperate with the ongoing investigation.”

When asked about what they would say to Perry’s family, Binninger expressed deep sorrow. “We’re incredibly sorry that someone lost their life. It doesn’t matter that he was a famous celebrity; it’s a tragedy all the same.”

Chavez is now the third individual to agree to plead guilty following the overdose that claimed the life of the “Friends” star. His cooperation is part of a broader investigation, targeting other individuals involved in supplying ketamine to Perry.

The other significant figures in this case are Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who is accused of illegally selling ketamine to Perry, and Jasveen Sangha, suspected of dealing the lethal dose. Both Plasencia and Sangha have pleaded not guilty and await trial. A status conference for their cases is scheduled for Wednesday.

Chavez’s involvement included obtaining ketamine from his previous clinic and via a fraudulent prescription from a wholesale distributor. Should Chavez plead guilty, he faces a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Matthew Perry was discovered dead by his assistant on October 28. The medical examiner determined ketamine overdose as the primary cause. Perry, who had been undergoing a legal but off-label ketamine treatment for depression, was seeking additional doses beyond what his regular doctor would provide.

In the month leading up to his death, Perry found Dr. Plasencia, who then contacted Chavez to procure additional ketamine. According to text messages, Plasencia sought collaboration with Chavez to exploit Perry’s willingness to pay for the drug, stating, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”

Plasencia and Chavez met on the same day in Costa Mesa, and exchanged at least four vials of ketamine. After selling these to Perry for $4,500, Plasencia encouraged Chavez to continue the supply, aiming to become Perry’s primary source for the drug.

Throughout his life, Perry battled addiction issues, dating back to his time on the hit show “Friends.” Perry’s struggles with substance abuse were well-documented, and his fame as Chandler Bing on NBC’s iconic sitcom amplified his public battle.

The tragic death of the beloved actor has underscored the perils of addiction and the dangerous ramifications of illicit drug distribution, especially involving controlled substances like ketamine.

With Chavez’s cooperation, authorities continue their pursuit of justice, aiming to hold all parties involved accountable for their roles in the events leading to Perry’s untimely death.

Source: Associated Press