A doctor convicted in Matthew Perry’s ketamine death case made a stunning argument in a bid to shorten his prison sentence — claiming he was never really a physician to begin with.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia is urging a federal appeals court to overturn his 30-month sentence, saying the judge unfairly punished him for abusing his role as a doctor when, in reality, he acted more like a ketamine supplier than a medical professional, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
Plasencia claims Perry was not seeking legitimate medical treatment from him, but rather, was looking for a reliable source of ketamine.
His lawyers argue he should not have been sentenced as a doctor betraying a patient’s trust. Instead, they say his actions were more like those of a drug dealer than a medical professional.
The appeal repeatedly compares Plasencia’s conduct to that of the other defendants caught up in the deadly scandal, maintaining his role was more akin to a supplier than a doctor providing treatment.
Plasencia is also challenging other parts of his sentence. His lawyers claim the court improperly counted allegations that he altered records during the investigation, causing unfair double-counting.
He also claims he was punished more harshly than fellow defendants Mark Chavez and Erik Fleming, calling the sentencing disparities unfair, according to the outlet.
Plasencia previously pleaded guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Prosecutors alleged he supplied ketamine to Perry in the weeks leading up to the actor’s death.
While he isn’t disputing his guilt in the case, Plasencia contends that he shouldn’t have received a tougher sentence than those who were also found guilty of supplying ketamine to the late “Friends” star.
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