Matthew Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison, is speaking publicly about the heartbreaking loss of her son and the deep betrayal she believes contributed to his death. In a powerful victim impact statement obtained by PEOPLE ahead of former assistant Kenneth Iwamasa’s sentencing, Morrison accused Iwamasa of enabling Perry’s addiction instead of protecting him during one of the most vulnerable periods of his life. Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing on Friends, died on Oct. 28, 2023, at the age of 54. Authorities later confirmed his cause of death as the “acute effects of ketamine.”
According to the Department of Justice, Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with ketamine despite having no medical training. Prosecutors say he administered multiple injections on the day the actor died.
Court documents state that Perry allegedly told Iwamasa to “shoot me up with a big one” before entering his hot tub shortly before his death. Iwamasa later found the actor face down in the water after returning from errands.
Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death and could face up to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors are reportedly recommending a sentence of 41 months in prison followed by supervised release.
In her statement, Morrison said the Perry family trusted Iwamasa because they believed he understood the actor’s long and public struggle with addiction.
She wrote that his “most important job” was to protect Perry and help keep him drug-free. Instead, she accused him of arranging illegal ketamine sources and personally injecting Perry despite the obvious risks.
“But instead of protecting Matthew, he aided and abetted illegal drug taking,” Morrison wrote in the emotional statement.
The grieving mother also reflected on how closely Iwamasa remained involved with the family after Perry’s death, recalling how he sent her songs, maps around the cemetery, and updates whenever he saw rainbows, which Perry loved.
Morrison said she now believes the family “trusted a man without a conscience,” adding that her son “paid the price.”
One of the most devastating parts of her statement described the aftermath of Perry’s death, including the intense media attention outside his home.
“And then one night he was just a body,” she wrote, recalling helicopters circling overhead while she stood outside in shock and grief.
Morrison also thanked investigators for uncovering what she called the truth surrounding her son’s death, while admitting that “closure” does not truly exist for a parent who loses a child.
Iwamasa is one of five individuals charged in connection with Perry’s death. Others involved in the case include Jasveen Sangha, Erik Fleming, Salvador Plasencia, and Mark Chavez.
The case has continued to draw national attention as authorities examine how ketamine was illegally supplied to the actor in the months leading up to his death.
For many fans, Perry’s passing remains especially painful given how openly he spoke about addiction, recovery, and relapse throughout his life and career.