Multiple Individuals Charged in Connection with Actor Matthew Perry’s Overdose Death
Multiple Individuals Charged in Connection with Actor Matthew Perry’s Overdose Death
Several individuals have been charged in connection with the accidental overdose death of actor Matthew Perry, according to law enforcement sources who spoke with NBC News on Thursday.
Perry, 54, was discovered unresponsive in the heated section of his pool at his Pacific Palisades residence on October 28, 2023. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that his death was due to the acute effects of ketamine, a powerful anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties.
Sources reported that at least one arrest was made in Southern California early Thursday. Federal prosecutors are expected to unseal an indictment later today, detailing the charges against this individual and others involved.
The family of Keith Morrison, a “Dateline” correspondent and Perry’s stepfather, expressed their relief at the recent developments.
“We were and continue to be devastated by Matthew’s passing, but it brings some solace knowing that law enforcement has treated his case with the seriousness it deserves,” the family stated. “We look forward to seeing justice served.”
In May, the Los Angeles police confirmed their collaboration with federal authorities to investigate the source of the ketamine found in Perry’s system.
Ketamine, long popular as a recreational drug, has recently gained attention for its potential in treating depression. An increasing number of clinics offer ketamine infusions or injections for various mental health conditions.
Perry had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, though his last session occurred over a week before his death. The medical examiner noted that the ketamine detected in Perry’s body “could not be from that infusion therapy” due to its short half-life.
The ketamine levels in his system were significantly high, comparable to those used for general anesthesia in surgical procedures, according to the medical examiner’s findings.
Ultimately, Perry’s death was ruled accidental, with contributing factors including drowning, coronary artery disease, and the presence of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid dependence.
Perry, beloved for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit TV show “Friends,” had been candid about his struggles with opioid addiction and alcoholism, which he detailed in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” The medical examiner’s report noted that Perry had been sober for 19 months at the time of his death.
It’s not unusual for law enforcement to investigate and, in some cases, charge those responsible for supplying drugs that lead to high-profile fatalities.
For example, after Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for administering a fatal dose of potent drugs. More recently, federal prosecutors in New York charged four individuals who provided actor Michael K. Williams with the fentanyl-laced heroin that resulted in his 2021 death.
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