Five individuals face charges in connection with the death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry, famous for his role as Chandler Bing. Two of them have already pleaded guilty. USA TODAY
Dr. Mark Chavez, one of the doctors charged in the death of actor Matthew Perry, has been released on a $50,000 bond. Chavez, based in San Diego, appeared in federal court in Los Angeles, where U.S. Magistrate Judge Jean Rosenbluth set the bond. As part of his release conditions, Chavez had to surrender his passport and medical license. He faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, or a fine of up to $500,000, depending on the financial impact of the offence
Chavez, who previously ran a ketamine clinic, is accused of conspiring to distribute ketamine illegally. He recently signed a plea agreement and is expected to plead guilty soon. Chavez is one of five people charged in connection with Perry's death. According to court documents, Chavez obtained ketamine using false information and prescribed it without the patient's consent. This ketamine was then sold to Perry through another doctor, Dr. Salvador Plasencia.
Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on the TV show "Friends," died on October 28 at his home in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later determined that Perry's death was an accident caused by the "acute effects of ketamine." Chavez's lawyer, Matthew Binninger, stated that Chavez is deeply remorseful for what happened, not only because Perry was a well-known celebrity but also because he was a patient who lost his life.
In addition to Chavez, Perry's assistant and another individual involved in distributing the ketamine that led to Perry's death have also pleaded guilty. Erik Fleming, a friend of Perry, admitted to distributing the ketamine and pleaded guilty to related charges. Another person, Jasveen Sangha, known as the "Ketamine Queen" of North Hollywood, faces multiple charges but has pleaded not guilty.
The case continues, with a conference scheduled for September 4.
