The final words of Friends actor Matthew Perry have been revealed in court documents surrounding his death.
The actor was found dead at his Los Angeles home on October 28, aged 54. An autopsy report ruled his death to be accidental, and showed that he died from the acute effects of ketamine, with contributing factors including drowning.
Last Thursday (August 15), US federal authorities held a press conference in Los Angeles in which they said they had arrested and charged five individuals in connection with Perry’s death, and had uncovered a “broad criminal network” of ketamine suppliers that “took advantage” of Perry’s addiction issues.
One of those arrested is Kenneth Iwamasa, a personal assistant to Perry, and documents reveal that on the day he died, the actor asked Iwamasa to administer ketamine to him multiple times.
As reported by NBC News, Perry asked Iwamasa to “shoot me up with a big one”, just hours before he was found unresponsive in his hot tub.
The documents state Perry asked Iwamasa for the first dose at 8:30am on October 28, with the second four hours later. He then asked Iwamasa for a third dose and for his hot tub to be prepared. Iwamasa is then said to have left the house, only to later return to find Perry dead.
Aside from Iwamasa, the individuals charged by the Department of Justice are Jasveen Sangha, who is also known as the ‘Ketamine Queen’, Dr. Mark Chavez and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, and another individual, Erik Fleming.
Sangha is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
Plasencia is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation.
Fleming has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, admitting in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry. He admits he obtained the drug from Sangha and distributed 50 vials to Iwamasa, half of them four days before Perry’s death.
Iwamasa has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death and admitted repeatedly injecting Perry with the drug without the appropriate training, including multiple injections the day he died.
Chavez has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and admitted agreeing to sell the drug to Plasencia, some of which he diverted from his former clinic.
Following the arrests, Perry’s stepfather Keith Morrison said: “We were and still are heartbroken by Matthew’s death, but it has helped to know law enforcement has taken his case very seriously.
“We look forward to justice taking its course and we’re grateful for the exceptional work of the multiple agencies whose agents investigated Matthew’s death. We’re hoping unscrupulous suppliers of dangerous drugs will get the message.”
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