Matthew Perry’s Assistant Sentenced for Role in his Death
Vulture • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Kenneth Iwamasa was sentenced to nearly three and a half years in prison and fined $10,000 for administering fatal ketamine doses to Matthew Perry on October 23, 2023.
- Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in assistant and longtime friend, was the first to plea out but the last defendant sentenced in the case; Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett noted no hard evidence of malicious intent but deemed his conduct reckless.
- Jasveen Sangha, known as the Ketamine Queen, received a 15-year sentence in April for distributing the ketamine that killed Perry, which she and Erik Fleming sold to Perry and was administered by Iwamasa.
- The case sparked debate in Hollywood about the power dynamics between Perry and Iwamasa, with some arguing assistants must obey bosses regardless of ethics, but the judge emphasized Iwamasa's opportunity to intervene given their close relationship.
- Judge Garnett criticized Iwamasa for reckless behavior not only on the day of Perry’s death but in the preceding days, underscoring his responsibility despite the complex personal dynamics.