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Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Matthew Perry's 'Ketamine Queen' Changes Her Plea Tune After Initial Denial
From total denial to pleading guilty, the "Ketamine Queen" is finally taking some responsibility for Matthew Perry's death! The final suspect in the actor's drug-induced passing has now accepted to face legal punishment for her role in his shocking death. Matthew Perry was declared dead on October 28, 2023, after first responders found him unresponsive and face down in the jacuzzi in his Pacific Palisades home. Matthew Perry's Drug Dealer Will Plead Guilty To Providing Him Drugs The "Ketamine Queen," whose real name is Jasveen Sangha, has changed her tune and also agreed to take a guilty plea deal, marking an end to the case. Sangha reportedly admitted to being a drug dealer and owned up to three counts of distributing Ketamine. The dealer will reportedly affirm that Erik Fleming acquired the drug from her, which in turn led to the "death or serious bodily injury" the actor suffered when he died. She will now face her sentencing hearing in a few months, potentially receiving a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. She may also get up to 10 years in federal custody for each count of ketamine distribution and about 15 years in federal prison for the count of distribution of Ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Per Deadline, the U.S. Attorney's office for the Central District of California announced the deal today. The office added that a formal plea and court appearance from Sangha will probably come in around fall. Sangha's Role In The Actors' Death Singled Out To Be The Most Poignant While a few suspects were identified, Sangha's part in the actor's passing seemed to be one with the most severe consequences, according to law enforcement agencies. The Department of Justice shared that the "Ketamine Queen" and Fleming sold 51 vials of Ketamine to the actor in 2023. The substances were then handed over to his personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa. As soon as Perry was declared dead, the drug dealer instructed Fleming, the director of the Bel-Air treatment center program, through Signal, to erase all conversations between her and Perry. Sangha was reportedly the last of the five suspects, including Fleming, Iwamasa, doctors Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez, to tender a guilty plea in the case. The suspects will all possibly receive sentencing within the next three months. The 'Ketamine Queen' Lawyer Previously Denied Connection To The Late TV Star Sangha's guilty plea is a 180 from her initial narrative through her attorney, Mark Geragos. As shared by The Blast last September, Geragos appeared on the Today Show, declaring that the reports of any connection or interaction between her and Perry remained untrue. He affirmed that there were no gray areas in their story, and his client would be more than happy to share her side of the story as they head towards trial. Sangha was identified as a participant in Perry's death after she used Signal, an encrypted texting platform, to advertise the quality of her goods to Fleming. She promised Fleming, her co-defendant in the case, that her goods, although unmarked, are amazing, and if Perry tried one sample she offered, he would come back for more. The "Ketamine Queen" even promised her client ketamine lollipops as a bonus on large orders. Perry Got 27 Shots Of Ketamine Before His Death Medical examiners who carried out an autopsy on Perry's body confirmed that he passed away from the acute effects of ketamine. In a documentary about his death, as shared by The Blast, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada spoke of his final moments. Estrada explained that the actor received an unhealthy amount of ketamine from medical practitioners who knew better. She noted that the medic in charge of his treatment saw his addiction as an opportunity to make money within a short period. The attorney revealed that investigators in the past used to tag the deaths as overdoses and essentially blame the victims for being so careless. Now, things have changed, and the law holds everyone accountable, including 'the drug dealers, the drug sellers, for taking advantage of those addiction issues to cause death or serious injury.' Matthew Perry Reportedly Admitted Helplessness Over His Addiction Friends of the "Friends" actor, including co-stars on the famous show, revealed through Jennifer Aniston that they had made peace with his death long before it happened. Aniston shared that the disease became a hard nut for him to crack, but his death also meant no more pain for him. Perry's addiction had him popping about 55 Vicodin pills a day, with a massive decline in his weight to just 128 pounds. In an interview in 2022, the actor confessed that he did not know how to stop, even if the police threatened him with an arrest and jail term. "I couldn't stop because the disease and the addiction are progressive. So it gets worse and worse as you grow older," he added. Perry shared that he knew how helpless his co-stars felt and how much he tried to hide signs of his addiction from them. He compared their situation to that of penguins offering support to a fellow injured penguin, and how they often surround the wounded animal till it can walk on its own. May Matthew Perry continue to rest in peace! Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
25-06-2025
- The Independent
Sword attacker guilty of murdering schoolboy and injuring five more in rampage
A sword attacker has been found guilty of murdering a schoolboy and injuring five others during a drug-induced rampage in north-east London. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, killed 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin with a samurai sword and seriously wounded police officers, a pedestrian, and a couple in their home during a 20-minute spree in Hainault on April 30 last year. He had entered a state of psychosis brought on by his own cannabis use, the Old Bailey heard. Witnesses described the former Amazon delivery driver screaming 'in delight' and smiling after mortally wounding Daniel, who had been walking to school in his PE kit. Prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors it was 'miraculous' that more people were not killed as Monzo slashed and chopped at whoever he came across. Monzo had killed and skinned his pet cat Wizard before he ran amok armed with two swords. As well as killing Daniel, Monzo, who had a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, attacked pedestrian Donato Iwule, police officers Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield and Inspector Moloy Campbell, and couple Sindy Arias and Henry De Los Rios Polania in their home. Afterwards, Monzo likened events to the Hollywood film The Hunger Games and claimed to have an alternative persona of a 'professional assassin'. Giving evidence at his trial, he said he had no memory of what happened and claimed his mental state had diminished his responsibility for the crimes. However, the prosecution argued that psychosis brought on by self-induced intoxication was no defence for murder. Even though Monzo admitted he had drunk a hallucinogenic tea called ayahuasca, no trace of DMT, the class A drug in the brew, was detected in his system. The court also heard how Monzo had made 'stabbing motions' re-enacting the violence when he chatted about 'killing films' with a member of staff at Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital. An Old Bailey jury found Monzo guilty of Daniel's murder, three charges of attempted murder, relating to Mr Iwule, Ms Arias, and Pc Mechem-Whitfield. He was also found guilty of wounding with intent, relating to Mr De Los Rios Polania, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article. He was cleared of attempted murder in relation to Mr De Los Rios Polania but found guilty of the lesser offence of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Monzo, who showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out, previously admitted having the samurai sword used to kill Daniel and a katana sword found in his van. It took jurors three days to reach their verdicts. He will be sentenced on Friday June 27, the court heard. Daniel's parents had sat in court throughout the trial when harrowing CCTV and police body worn video had been played. The court had heard how Monzo launched the series of attacks by driving his grey Ford Transit van into Mr Iwule, who was 'catapulted' into a nearby garden before the vehicle smashed into a concrete pillar and fence. He went on to hit Mr Iwule in the neck with his sword before running away, the court was told. He then virtually decapitated Daniel, who was wearing headphones on his way to school, jurors heard. Witness Maria Olmos said Monzo dropped to his knees and held his hands up after mortally wounding the schoolboy. She said: 'At the time of doing so he let out an extremely loud scream. 'It wasn't a scream of pain, it was a scream of delight – my interpretation was he was celebrating.' Pc Mechem-Whitfield was hit three times with the 60cm long blade with 'extreme force' as she chased Monzo through alleyways and residential properties. Next he entered a property and attacked Ms Arias and Mr De Los Rios Polania, who were sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their young daughter nearby. Monzo demanded to know if they 'believe in God' before he left the property. Inspector Moloy Campbell tried to detain Monzo in a car park and received a slash wound to his hand. The defendant then climbed on to the roof of a garage before he was finally apprehended. Following his arrest, Monzo claimed his personality had switched and that 'something happened, like a game happening'. In his evidence, Monzo described being bullied growing up in Brazil before his family moved to Britain in 2013. He practised mixed martial arts (MMA) until an injury in 2016 led him to explore yoga and the 'magical, miraculous and supernatural' aspects of spirituality, he said. He began to follow a guru on YouTube, spent a year at a retreat in India and took ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic brew traditionally used in South America. Kirsty O'Connor, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'The CPS maintained throughout that Arduini Monzo's mental state was driven by his own cannabis misuse which meant that he was fully responsible for the devastation he caused last year. 'The jury, by their unequivocal verdicts, have accepted the prosecution case. 'Our hearts go out to Daniel Anjorin's family and friends who have suffered his unimaginable loss in horrific circumstances, and our thoughts remain with all of the victims who continue to recover from their injuries and trauma. 'I would also like to pay tribute to the brave police officers and emergency workers who faced Marcos Arduini Monzo on that terrifying day in April 2024, putting their own personal safety at risk in the line of duty. 'The courage shown by Pc Mechem-Whitfield, Pc King, Inspector Campbell and others who selflessly sought to apprehend Arduini Monzo whilst facing extreme personal danger was exceptional and undoubtedly prevented further loss of life. 'We all owe them a debt of gratitude.' Jaswant Narwal, chief crown prosecutor, said: 'There was no doubt Arduini Monzo was in the grips of a psychotic episode, but the challenge for our specialist homicide prosecutors in this case was proving that his mental state was the result of his cannabis misuse, not an underlying mental health condition such as schizophrenia. 'This matters, because by proving Arduini Monzo's psychosis was the result of his own actions, our prosecutors could bring charges of murder, as opposed to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.' Speaking outside court following the verdicts, Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell said: 'I would like to pay my respects to Daniel's family. 'There are no words to express how sorry we are for your loss or how much admiration we have for your courage and dignity. 'It is hard to comprehend the unimaginable pain that you must have suffered in this last year. 'I can only hope that today's verdict brings some semblance of justice and relief to you, and that you're able to grieve in peace. 'Our thoughts remain with those who have been impacted by this terrible incident.'
CBS News
21-05-2025
- CBS News
3 convicted in Hell's Kitchen drug, robbery scheme get max sentence as victims' families speak in court
Three men found guilty in a deadly drug and robbery scheme in Hell's Kitchen were sentenced Wednesday. Family members of the two deceased victims were able to speak directly to their convicted killers. Jayqwan Hamilton, Robert Demaio and Jacobi Barroso looked straight forward while the impact statements were read be the family and friends of John Umberger and Julio Ramirez, who were killed. A jury found Hamilton, Demaio and Barroso guilty of murder, robbery and conspiracy back in February for a drug-induced robbery scheme at gay bars and clubs on Manhattan's West Side in 2021 and 2022. Impact statements read in court The loudest moment in the packed courtroom may been the only silent one. "A moment of silence and 13 seconds to consider the video that was made while my son died and you did nothing to help," Umberger's mother Linda Clary said. Clary was the last of five people to read an impact statement. The family of Ramirez asked that their statement not be recorded. Ramirez's parents said "we live with a pain that does not go away." "You didn't have to kill him. You didn't have to rob him. If you needed money, you should have just asked him. He would have given it to you," Umberger's friend Neil Chatterjee said. "I know nothing can bring John back. But I also know with absolute certainty what he would want: For the people who took his life to truly understand the enormity of what they've done," Umberger's father Alick Campbell said. Hamilton, Barroso also spoke Two of the three men convicted spoke Wednesday before sentencing. "I'm sympathetic to the victims and their families. However, I disagree with the verdict," Hamilton said. "My condolences goes out to the families, the victims' families," Barroso said. Judge Felicia Mennin gave the maximum sentence to all three defendants. Hamilton and Demaio were sentenced to 40 years to life, Barroso got 20 years to life. "I pity your lack of humanity or empathy for your fellow human beings. But pity will not translate to leniency in this case," Mennin said. "I'm pleased that there's strong accountability for these defendants. But it will never bring back Julio Ramirez or John Umberger," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. "There is no justice when someone dies 'cause you can't bring them back. But it is closure," Clary said.
