Dr. Salvador Plasencia, the physician who provided Matthew Perry with a lethal dose of ketamine, finalized his guilty plea on Wednesday and shared that he is immensely regretful of his involvement in the actor’s tragic death.
“While Dr. Plasencia was not treating Mr. Perry at the time of his death, he hopes his case serves as a warning to other medical professionals and leads to stricter oversight and clear protocols for the rapidly growing at-home ketamine industry in order to prevent future tragedies like this one,” Plasencia’s lawyer, Karen L. Goldstein, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.
The lawyer added that he was “profoundly remorseful” for the role he played in the Perry’s death while he appeared in court. According to the report, “Plasencia dabbed his face repeatedly with a cloth” as prosecutors detailed the charges against him. The paper also noted that the physician plans to relinquish his medical license within the next 30 to 45 days.
Last month, Plasencia, who is one of five people who have been charged in Perry’s October 2023 death, agreed to plead guilty to distributing ketamine to the “Friends” star. Plasencia now faces up to 40 years in prison after he was charged with four counts of ketamine distribution, including conspiracy to distribute ketamine and other related offenses. He will remain out on bail until his sentencing hearing which is scheduled for Dec. 3. His Calabasas-based urgent care clinic remains open but now requires patients to sign waivers acknowledging the charges against him.
He is the fourth person to plead guilty in regard to Perry’s death. The others are Dr. Mark Chavez, the actor’s personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa and “street dealer” Erik Fleming. Jasveen Sangha (a.k.a. “The Ketamine Queen”) has pleaded not guilty and is headed to trial in August.
Perry was found dead in his hot tub on Oct. 28, 2023. His cause of death was ruled a ketamine overdose with drowning as a factor. He was 54.
