Following the arrests of five people in connection with Matthew Perry‘s death, the actor’s stepfather, Keith Morrison, has spoken out, saying he looks forward to “justice taking its course.”
The Department of Justice announced in a press conference on Thursday, August 15, that Perry’s assistant and doctors are among those arrested following the drug investigation launched in May 2024. The findings revealed a “broad underground criminal network” that showed those arrested “took advantage” of the Friends star by selling him ketamine.
Speaking to People, 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.
He added, “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.”
Perry died on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54, and in December 2023, an autopsy report revealed his death was ruled an accidental overdose caused by acute effects of ketamine. The Los Angeles police had been working with federal authorities on the investigation since May.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated that those arrested “took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves.”
The five arrested include Jasveen Sangha, who Estrada alleged is known as “The Ketamine Queen,” Dr. Salvador Plascencia, a licensed physician, and Perry’s personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa. Erik Fleming and Dr. Mark Chavez were also charged separately for conspiracy to distribute ketamine, as noted by the Department of Justice.
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Back in March, Morrison spoke about Perry’s death on Hoda Kotb’s Making Space podcast, where he revealed the grief “doesn’t go away.”
“It’s with you every day. It’s with you all the time, and there’s some new aspect of it that assaults your brain,” the Dateline correspondent said. “It’s not easy, especially for his mom.”
Speaking on Perry’s relationship with his mom, Morrison shared, “Toward the end of his life, they were closer than I’ve seen them for decades.”
He also stated that Perry was “happy” before his death. “He was happy, and he said so,” Morrison noted. “And he hadn’t said that for a long time. So it’s a source of comfort, but also, he didn’t get to have his third act, and that’s not fair.”
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