Keith Morrison Advocates for Meaningful Sentencing After Matthew Perry’s Death
Keith Morrison has called for action so that Matthew Perry’s death does not go unrecognized, in light of the sentencing of Dr. Salvador Plasencia, one of five individuals connected to the late actor’s demise.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett sentenced Plasencia to two and a half years in prison.
Perry’s stepfather, alongside his mother Suzanne, spoke about the lifelong challenges Perry faced with addiction—a struggle they said was entwined with their own lives, at times feeling like they were “fenced in with duct tape and fences.”
“Then a ravenous jackal emerges from the darkness and all efforts are wasted, making everything fall apart,” Morrison shared in a poignant victim impact statement released before Plasencia’s sentencing.
“Over the years, my mother has expressed how heart-wrenching such experiences can be. I never quite understood until witnessing the impact on Matthew’s mother. Even now, two years later, the pain lingers. It’s a deep well, and I still can’t see the bottom,” he reflected.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison conveyed feelings of “emotional turmoil” over the passing of his son-in-law, who died on October 28, 2023, reportedly due to drowning in the bathtub of his home in Pacific Palisades. He was 54.
“Anger, whether we acknowledge it or not, settles deep in our hearts,” Morrison expressed. “Events you can’t alter echo in your mind endlessly, and the dull ache persists.”
He remarked, “Memories can feel like tiny knives.”
Continuing, Morrison noted, “Suzanne warned me that no man could come between her and her son. She never anticipated that his addiction would do just that or that he would meet an untimely end at the hands of those he trusted.”
Prime Minister Morrison labeled Placencia as the “most culpable” among the five charged in connection with Perry’s demise, asserting that the former doctor violated the crucial Hippocratic oath to do no harm.
“Only those connected to Matthew truly understand his suffering, yet this doctor conspired to betray his most essential oath,” Morrison stated. “He clandestinely met with his victim repeatedly for what? Just thousands of dollars?”
Plasencia pleaded guilty in June to four counts of distributing ketamine, with a potential maximum sentence of 40 years.
“Mr. Plasencia accepts today’s court decision with humility and sincere remorse,” his attorney said in a statement. “He was a dedicated doctor who filled a vital role in a community that required his services.”
“He made a significant error in treating Mr. Perry, and that will haunt him indefinitely,” the attorney added, noting Plasencia’s commitment to serve his community in other ways going forward.
Authorities announced nearly nine months after Perry’s passing that five individuals faced multiple charges related to his death. Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, reportedly facilitated the distribution of around 20 vials costing roughly $50,000 in cash for Perry’s use. In another instance, dealers exploited Perry to sell about 50 vials of ketamine for around $11,000.
Involvement with ketamine also came from Dr. Mark Chavez, who supposedly instructed Plasencia on administering the drug to Perry.
As part of a plea agreement, Chavez has pleaded guilty to conspiracy for distributing ketamine, admitting to selling it to Plasencia, using drugs diverted from a previous ketamine clinic.
Iwamasa entered a guilty plea on August 7 related to causing death by distributing ketamine and is part of a plea agreement.
Moreover, additional drugs were reportedly acquired through Jasveen Sangha, called the “Ketamine Queen,” and Eric Fleming. Fleming admitted to distributing the ketamine that ultimately led to Perry’s death and has also entered a plea deal.
