In emotionally charged victim impact statements filed last week, two sisters of the late Matthew Perry have placed severe blame on the actor's former personal assistant for his October 2023 death, accusing him of administering a lethal dose of ketamine and abandoning the beloved Friends star in his final moments.
Caitlin and Madeline Morrison submitted their statements on Wednesday, May 20, as part of the ongoing legal proceedings against five individuals who have pleaded guilty to various charges related to supplying Perry with the ketamine that killed him at age 54. The statements, obtained by media outlets, reveal the profound sense of betrayal experienced by Perry's family following revelations about the circumstances of his death.
Kenneth Iwamasa, 60, served as Perry's live-in personal assistant and is one of five people who entered guilty pleas in connection with the actor's death. The Department of Justice determined that Iwamasa, despite having no medical training, repeatedly injected Perry with ketamine before the fatal incident on October 28, 2023.
Madeline Morrison, 37, wrote in her statement that Iwamasa "had injected my brother with a lethal dose of ketamine and left him in a hot tub to die." Her words convey the devastating impact of learning the truth about her brother's final moments.
"It is difficult to put into words the sense of betrayal I felt when I found out what Kenny had done," Madeline continued. "In many ways, it felt like my brother died all over again. Everything I believed about the day he died—everything Kenny told us—was a lie. The idea that someone my brother considered family could betray him in such an unimaginable way is something I never could have conceived."
Caitlin Morrison, 43, expressed similar sentiments while acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding Iwamasa's intentions. "I cannot read Kenny's thoughts. I will never know if the lethal dose of ketamine was only lethal by accident," she wrote. "But I know that when Kenny left the house, he was doing one of two things. He was either escaping from something he knew he had done or he was willfully abandoning a vulnerable person in a dangerous situation."
The federal investigation into Perry's death resulted in charges against five individuals who formed a network that supplied the actor with ketamine. Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. Jasveen Sangka, referred to as "The Ketamine Queen," pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of ketamine, one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury, and one count of using her home for drug distribution.
Erik Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Dr. Salvador Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, while Dr. Mark Chavez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Four of the five defendants have already been sentenced to various combinations of prison time and home confinement. Iwamasa is scheduled to receive his sentence on Wednesday, May 27.
The case has drawn significant attention to the dangers of ketamine misuse and the responsibilities of those who provide care to vulnerable individuals. Perry's death, officially attributed to the "acute effects of ketamine," has sparked broader conversations about accountability in cases involving substance abuse and the exploitation of those struggling with addiction.
The victim impact statements from Perry's sisters underscore the lasting trauma experienced by families who lose loved ones under such circumstances, particularly when trust has been violated by those in positions of care and responsibility.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
