Matthew Perry's Parents Attend Sentencing of 'Ketamine Queen' in Fatal Overdose Case
Suzanne and Keith Morrison, the mother and stepfather of the late actor Matthew Perry, arrived at a federal courthouse in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning, April 8, 2026. They were present for the sentencing of Jasveen Sangha, the woman prosecutors have dubbed the "Ketamine Queen," who is charged in connection with Perry's fatal overdose.
The parents were spotted entering the building just before 10 a.m. Pacific Time, where they are expected to deliver victim impact statements before a judge determines Sangha's sentence. Federal prosecutors have recommended that Sangha serve 15 years in prison for her role in the case.
Details of the Case and Charges
Jasveen Sangha, 42, was one of five individuals federally charged after Matthew Perry was found dead in the hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home on October 28, 2023. Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit television show Friends from 1994 to 2004, died from the acute effects of ketamine, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office.
The autopsy report also cited drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder, as contributing factors to his death.
In a court filing ahead of the sentencing, prosecutors described Sangha's actions as displaying a "cold callousness and disregard for life." She pleaded guilty to five federal criminal charges in August, including one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Sangha had faced a maximum sentence of up to 65 years in prison.
Background on the Drug Distribution
According to a plea agreement reached with prosecutors last year, Sangha and another man, Erik Fleming, sold 51 vials of ketamine to Perry's personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, before the actor's death. Prosecutors stated that Perry had been using ketamine to treat depression and had received ketamine infusion therapy from doctors. However, when his doctors refused to prescribe additional doses, he allegedly began obtaining the drug from dealers.
Perry's personal assistant has admitted to injecting him with several doses of ketamine on the day he died. After learning of Perry's death, Sangha deleted text messages and instructed Fleming to do the same, according to prosecutors.
Evidence and Legal Proceedings
During a search of Sangha's home in March 2024, law enforcement officers discovered 1.7 kilograms of pressed pills containing methamphetamine, 79 vials of liquid ketamine, MDMA (Ecstasy) tablets, counterfeit Xanax pills, baggies with powdered ketamine and cocaine, and various drug trafficking items. These included a gold money counting machine, a scale, a wireless signal and hidden camera detector, drug packaging materials, and $5,723 in cash.
In November, Sangha's lawyer, Mark Geragos, filed court papers requesting leniency at sentencing, citing her sobriety for 17 months, lack of criminal history, strong family support, and advanced education.
Related Sentencings and Pleas
This sentencing follows other legal actions in the case. Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 44, was jailed in December for 30 months after pleading guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine. In court, Plasencia apologized directly to Perry's family, expressing deep remorse for his role.
Dr. Mark Chavez, of San Diego, was sentenced in December to three years of supervised release and 300 hours of community service after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine. He admitted to obtaining ketamine from his former clinic and a wholesale distributor using a fraudulent prescription.
Kenneth Iwamasa, 60, of Toluca Lake, pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death and is scheduled for sentencing on April 22. Erik Fleming, 55, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty on August 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, with his sentencing set for April 29.
The case highlights the ongoing legal repercussions surrounding Matthew Perry's tragic death, as his family seeks justice through the court system.
