USA After the death of Matthew Perry: doctor sentenced to 30 months
Two years after the death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry, a court in Santa Monica, California, has sentenced one of his doctors to two and a half years in prison. This was reported by several American media outlets, including the "Los Angeles Times" and the broadcaster CBS. Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett also sentenced him to a fine of 5,600 dollars (4800 euros), reported the "Los Angeles Times".
03.12.2025, 22:27
03.12.2025, 22:44
SDA
The 43-year-old doctor had previously admitted to supplying the actor with the anaesthetic ketamine, expressed his remorse and pleaded guilty. In return for his guilty plea, further charges were dropped.
The public prosecutor's office had accused the doctor of providing the actor with ketamine on several occasions between September 30 and October 12, 2023. In several cases, he had also personally injected him with the drug, including at the actor's home and in the back seat of his car in a public parking lot. He received several thousand US dollars for this. However, the ketamine that ultimately caused Perry's death was not personally given to the actor by him, according to the prosecutors.
Perry's death caused shock and grief worldwide
Perry was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023 at the age of 54. The actor had become famous worldwide with the TV series "Friends", produced in the USA between 1994 and 2004, about six young friends in New York alongside Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer. His death caused shock and grief worldwide.
Previously, the actor had repeatedly spoken publicly about his battle with addiction. According to reports, he had undergone ketamine therapy under medical supervision for depression and anxiety. He is also said to have obtained the drug on the black market.
According to the Los Angeles coroner's office, Perry died from the effects of ketamine. Other factors included drowning, heart disease and the effects of a drug used to treat opioid addiction. The death was ruled accidental.
Five accused after death in hot tub
After Perry's death, police and the public prosecutor's office brought serious charges against five people who had been arrested. Three of them pleaded guilty in court last year, including another doctor, an assistant and an acquaintance of the actor. The verdicts are still pending.
Ketamine has been a proven anesthetic for decades. People with treatment-resistant depression can also be treated with ketamine under certain conditions. Some partygoers also use it as an illegal club drug.
