A doctor and a woman known as the “Ketamine Queen” will stand trial next year in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry, best known for his role in the sitcom “Friends,” Sky News reports.
California District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett ruled on Monday that Salvador Plasencia, a Santa Monica doctor, and Jasveen Sangha will face a joint trial on March 4, 2025. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for February 19.
The two are among five individuals charged in connection with Perry’s death on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54. According to authorities, Perry died from the “acute effects of ketamine.”
Court documents reveal that Perry, who was seeking treatment for depression and anxiety, became addicted to intravenous ketamine. He was allegedly taking the drug six to eight times a day before his death.
Plasencia is accused of using Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, to distribute ketamine to the actor for at least $55,000 between September and October 2023.
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Sangha, described as “the Ketamine Queen” by authorities, allegedly sold the drug to Perry for $11,000 in cash.Sangha is said to have sold the drug to Eric Fleming, another defendant and an acquaintance of Perry, who then sold it to Perry’s assistant. A drug enforcement administrator alleged that the ketamine supplied by Sangha was the fatal dose.
Plasencia faces a maximum sentence of 120 years in federal prison. He has denied charges of conspiracy to distribute
ketamine, seven counts of distribution of ketamine, and two charges related to alleged document falsification during the investigation.
Sangha faces life imprisonment and has pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute ketamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
Iwamasa, Fleming, and a second doctor, Mark Chavez, who sold ketamine he had obtained through a fraudulent prescription to Plasencia, have all pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
Court documents allege extensive communication between the defendants as they discussed sourcing drugs for Perry, including a message from Plasencia to Chavez that reads: “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
