The case concerning the death of Matthew Perry has been concluded: the court has handed down its final verdict
A federal court in Los Angeles has sentenced Matthew Perry’s personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasu, to 41 months in prison – that is three years and five months.
Iwamasa is the last of five defendants in the case surrounding the actor’s death to be sentenced.
The court found that he had helped supply Perry with ketamine and had administered the drug to him shortly before his death.
Kenneth Iwamasa pleaded guilty back in August 2024. In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered him to serve two years of supervised release under the supervision of the federal probation service and fined him $10,000.
What was said in court
Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett stated that Iwamasa was aware of Matthew Perry’s long-standing struggle with addiction, yet continued to supply him with the drug.
According to the judge, the assistant also attempted to conceal evidence following the actor’s death.
During the hearing, Iwamasa addressed Perry’s family.
“I am so sorry for all of you. I am just so sorry that I committed illegal acts that I will always regret,” he said.
How Matthew Perry died
Matthew Perry was found dead in the hot tub at his home in Los Angeles in October 2023.
A post-mortem examination determined that the cause of death was acute ketamine use.
Contributing factors included drowning, ischaemic heart disease and the effects of buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder.
The investigation established that Iwamasa, who had no medical training, had repeatedly administered ketamine injections to the actor. On the day of Perry’s death, he also injected him with the drug and left the actor alone after administering a large dose.
What Perry’s family said
Before the hearing, Matthew Perry’s mother and sisters submitted letters to the court.
The actor’s sister, Caitlin Morrison, wrote that she had no sympathy for Iwamasa, as he had “either run away from what he had done or knowingly left a vulnerable person in a dangerous situation”.
Perry’s mother, Susanna Morrison, stated that Iwamasa’s primary duty was to look after her son and help him combat his addiction.
According to her, the assistant could have counted on the support of the actor’s entourage, but instead of protecting him, he contributed to his drug addiction and organised a regular supply of illicit substances.
“We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price,” wrote Susanna Morrison.
What the defence said
Iwamasa’s lawyer, Alan Eisner, told journalists that his client had acted on Perry’s instructions and was in a difficult position of dependence on his employer.
However, the court rejected the defence’s arguments regarding the assistant’s lesser culpability.
Who else has been sentenced
Sentences have already been handed down to other defendants in the case.
Dr Salvador Plascencia, who supplied Perry with ketamine, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.
Another doctor, Mark Chavez, received eight months of house arrest and three years of probation.
Erika Fleming, who bought the drug from Sanghu, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in early May.
As reported by ThePublic, actress Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay in the cult series “Friends”, stated that “cruel” things were happening behind the scenes of the show.
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