Matthew Perry’s sister grateful for guilty plea in actor’s death

An upcoming concert is turning up the volume on mental health and addiction in the name of late ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry.

Matthew Perry’s sister says she’s grateful the woman branded the “Ketamine Queen” pleaded guilty to selling the late actor the drug that killed him, so the case won’t “drag out” any longer.

Jasveen Sangha pleaded guilty Wednesday to five federal charges, including providing the ketamine that led to Perry’s death.

Perry, who starred in the hit TV series Friends, was found dead in his Los Angeles home by his assistant in 2023. The medical examiner ruled that ketamine was the primary cause of death.

Appearing on CTV Morning Live in Ottawa Thursday morning, Caitlin Morrison was asked about the guilty verdict.

“In a lot of ways, I’ve just had to let it go and think about - there’s nothing we can do, it doesn’t change anything,” Morrison said.

“So, I’ve thought about it from the perspective of it’s good to have this thing that hopefully will prevent other people from trying to do the same thing and harming others. Also, I’m, in a weird way, grateful for the plea because it means it’s not going to drag out and be something that gets sort of drawn along. Other than that, I sort of try to pretend it’s not there.”

Sangha is the fifth and final defendant charged in Perry’s overdose death to admit guilt.

Morrison and her family launched the Matthew Perry House last October to honour the memory of the actor.

The Matthew Perry House in Ottawa will provide housing, on-site care, and a range of services to over 160 people at a time when it opens.

“It’s been such an amazing year plus doing that and watching the Matthew Perry House come together,” Morrison said.

“What I can wait for is when we finally get to open the doors and welcome people in and have a new home and space and see how incredible it is.”

The Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada is collaborating with Maker Music Matter for a star-subbed benefit concert called Live Loud LIVE. Morrison says the benefit concert will “bring together some of the coolest artists” on Nov. 14 at Koerner Hall in Toronto to break the silence around mental health and addiction.

The lineup includes Serena Ryder, Billy Talent, Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band, City and Colour, Cone and Dave from Sum 41 and members of Broken Social Scene and Moist.

With files from The Associated Press