Matthew Perry Death Case: Accused Doctor Pleads Guilty, Barred From Practicing Medicine

Mark Chavez, one of two doctors charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death, agreed to plead guilty to one drug charge. The FRIENDS star died last year in October of an overdose of the powerful surgical anaesthetic. He was reportedly injected with three shots of Ketamine that day.

Doctor charged in Matthew Perry's death to face 10 years in prison?

A San Diego doctor, Chaz, charged as part of the investigation of the overdose death of Matthew Perry appeared at the Roybal Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles. In front of the judge, he agreed with prosecutors to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Now, a judge will set a date for him to enter the plea.

According to a report in AP, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jean Rosenbluth allowed the doctor to remain free on a $50,000 unsecured bond with several conditions, including turning over his medical license and passport. The doctor was "incredibly remorseful" and accepted his role in the death of the actor, as per a report in AP. "He is trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here. He is doing everything in his power to cooperate, to help in this situation, and he's incredibly remorseful," Chavez's attorney Matthew Binninger told AP.

"He’s doing everything in his power to cooperate and help with this situation," he continued, adding that Perry was "universally beloved, and it’s a shame what happened."

What happened after Matthew Perry's death?

Perry was found dead by his assistant on Oct. 28. The medical examiner ruled ketamine was the primary cause of death. The actor had been using the drug through his regular doctor in a legal but off-label treatment for depression that has become increasingly common. Seeking more ketamine than his doctor would give him, about a month before his death Perry found Plasencia, who in turn asked Chavez to obtain the drug for him.

“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Plasencia texted Chavez. The two met up the same day in Costa Mesa, halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, and exchanged at least four vials of ketamine. After selling the drugs to Perry for $4,500, Plasencia asked Chavez if he could keep supplying them so they could become Perry’s “go-to.”

Plasencia is charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two charges related to allegations he falsified records after Perry’s death. He and Sangha are scheduled to return to court next week. They have separate trial dates set for October, but prosecutors are seeking a single trial that likely would be delayed to next year.

Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on the popular sitcom FRIENDS, when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s megahit sitcom.