Doctor charged in death of Matthew Perry is returning to work this week, attorney says
One of two doctors charged in the October death of Matthew Perry will return to work this week.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who operates Malibu Canyon Urgent Care in Calabasas, California, is set to return to his practice sometime this week, his attorney Stefan Sacks confirmed in an email to USA TODAY.
Sacks confirmed that Plasencia must inform patients of his involvement in the ongoing criminal case in the death of Perry from "the acute effects of ketamine." Ketamine is an anesthetic drug, popularized from use at parties, but is also used medically in treatment for PTSD, anxiety and depression.
Matthew Perry's last days:Actor given fatal ketamine dose by assistant, court docs show
Perry was reportedly receiving treatment for the latter prior to his death. USA TODAY has reached out to prosecutors at the Department of Justice and Mr. Perry's former reps for comment.
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Plasencia is also still permitted to prescribe patients non-controlled drugs, such as antibiotics, Sacks confirmed. His biography on his practice's website states that he has "worked as an emergency room physician, he also has experience dealing with urgent medical issues" and "has 15 years of medical experience and is able to treat patients of all ages."
The Southern California-based physician, who is listed as "co-conspirator 1" in court documents, was one of two doctors charged in connection with the "Friends" star's death, which included three additional defendants. During a news conference last week, Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, announced a shocking "number of charges against the five defendants."
In the plea agreement documents for Perry's live-in personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who was also charged in connection to his death, prosecutors alleged Plasencia taught the Perry staffer how to administer ketamine to the Canadian actor. The docs allege Plasencia met with Iwamasa at least seven times to sell the assistant ketamine.
Plasencia allegedly told Matthew Perry's assistant 'let's not do that again' after 'medical reaction'
Two weeks before his death, on Oct. 12, investigators say Plasencia administered "a large dose of ketamine" to Perry, which caused "an adverse medical reaction" that led to a blood pressure spike which caused Perry to "freeze up" where he "could not speak or move."
According to the plea agreement, Plasencia allegedly told Iwamasa "let's not do that again." And investigators appeared to suggest that Plasencia encouraged Perry's ketamine use just one day before his death,
5 people charged in Matthew Perry'sdeath, including 'Friends' actor's doctor, assistant
On Oct. 27, Plasencia allegedly texted Iwamasa: "Hi. I know you mentioned taking a break. I have been stocking up on the meanwhile. I am not sure when you guys plan to resume but in case its when im out of town this weekend I have left supplies with a nurse of mine," clarifying in a later text, “I can always let her know the plan. I will be back in town Tuesday.”
According to his plea agreement, Iwamasa left Perry's home with the actor unattended to run errands and returned to find Perry dead, face down in the pool, after injecting the actor with ketamine three times in a five-hour period. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to Perry's Pacific Palisades home at 4:07 p.m. and found "an adult male unconscious in a stand-alone jacuzzi." Responding officers pronounced him dead at 4:17 p.m.
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