Doctor pleads guilty in Matthew Perry overdose death

Earlier, we reported about Dr Mark Chavez, connected to the death of Matthew Perry due to a suspected case of drug overdose, being expected to plead guilty to a charge of conspiring to distribute ketamine. The latest from the case is that Chavez has admitted his legal responsibility for the Friends star's death. Chavez operated a clinic and traded ketamine to Perry's eventual supplier, Dr Salvador Plasencia.

Chavez is among the five people who are charged in the case. The actor, known for his role in the NBC sitcom Friends, was found dead at the back of his house in California last October. An autopsy report showed a high level of ketamine in Perry's blood and attributed his death to its acute effects. Ketamine is consumed as a way of treating anxiety, pain, and depression.

Chavez signed a plea deal where he admitted that he used a fake prescription to get ketamine from not just his erstwhile clinic but also a distributor.

According to prosecutors, Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry's assistant, collaborated with both doctors to offer the actor ketamine worth over $50,000 in the days before his demise.

The plea lets Chavez admit to a relatively lesser charge as he co-operated in the probe, although he could go to jail for as many as 10 years. Chavez is free on bail up to the date of his sentencing, which is April 02, 2025.