Matthew Perry's Mom and Stepdad Keith Morrison Say His Doctor Is 'Culpable' in Fiery Letter: 'Those Greedy Jackals'

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage (2); Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Matthew Perry's mother and stepfather, Suzanne and Keith Morrison, and his father and stepmother, John and Debby Perry, have shared their grief in emotional victim impact letters ahead of the sentencing of Dr. Salvador Plasencia on Dec. 3

• In July, Plasencia pleaded guilty to distributing ketamine to the late Friends actor before he died

• The Morrisons said the pain of losing Perry is a "deep well" and called Plasencia "among the most culpable of all"

Matthew Perry's parents have shared emotional statements ahead of the sentencing of a doctor charged in connection with the actor'sdeathin October 2023.

In July,PEOPLE reportedthat Dr. Salvador Plasencia had formally pleaded guilty to distributing ketamine to Perry before he died. Plasencia —one of five people facing criminal charges in Perry's death—entered into a plea agreementthe previous month.

The new victim impact letters were submitted to the court ahead of the sentencing of Plasencia on Wednesday, Dec. 3, according toRolling Stone.

"How do you measure grief? Can you possibly provide any rational accounting? The bottom falling out? Yes, that," the letter written by Perry'smother, Suzanne Morrison, and his stepfather,Keith Morrison, reads, per the outlet.

"Here was a life so entwined with ours and held aloft sometimes with duct tape and bailing wire, with anything that might keep that big terrible thing from killing our first-born son, and our hearts with him," the letter continues. "And then those greedy jackals come out of the dark, and all the effort is for naught; it all crashes down."

AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

The statement goes on to call Plasencia "among the most culpable of all,"  and says their pain is a "deep well" with no bottom in sight.

Plasencia's plea agreement stated that he distributed 20 vials of ketamine, ketamine lozenges and syringes to Perry and the actor's live-in personal assistant,Kenneth Iwamasa, between September 30, 2023, and October 12, 2023,ABC Newspreviously reported.

Perrydied on Oct. 28, 2023, from acute effects of ketamine, in addition to other contributing factors such as drowning, coronary artery disease and effects from buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder, according to his autopsy.

"His story moved so many people," the letter from theFriendsactor's mother and stepfather continues, perRolling Stone. "And he wanted, needed, deserved..a third act. It was ..in the planning. And then, those jackals."

"No one alive and in touch with the world at all could have been unaware of Matthew's struggles. But this doctor conspired to break his most important vows, repeatedly, sneaked through the night to meet his victim in secret,"  it adds. "For what, a few thousand dollars? So he could feed on the vulnerability of our son…and crow, as he did so, with that revealing question: 'I wonder how much this moron will pay. Let's find out.' Some things are very hard to understand."

Perry's father and stepmother, John and Debby Perry, also shared their grief in their victim impact letter. Writing that Plasencia "didn't deserve to hear" their feelings, John and Debby called the late actor "a warm, loving man who was to be our rock as we aged. An uncle to our grandchildren and the mountain his siblings could turn to. Our next patriarch."

L. Cohen/WireImage ; Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

"Matthew's recovery counted on you saying NO," they go on, seeming to address Plasencia directly.

"Your motives? I can't imagine. A doctor whose life is devoted to helping people? Whatever were you thinking? How long did you possibly see supplying Matthew countless doses without his death to eventually follow? Did you care? Did you think? How many more people have you harmed that we don't know about?" the letter continues, adding, "We ask the court to give you plenty of time to think about your actions by extending your sentence beyond the mandatory time."

PEOPLE previously reported that Plasencia could face up to 40 years in prison for the four counts of distribution of ketamine.

Magma Agency/WireImage

In August 2024, Plasencia and four other people werearrested on charges related to the actor's death.

Jasveen Sangha— referred to as "The Ketamine Queen" by federal prosecutors — was charged with several counts related to allegedly distributing ketamine. In August 2025, Sanghaagreed to a plea deal in connection with Perry's deathandpleaded guiltyon Sept. 3.

Sangha pleaded to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury, theAssociated Presspreviously reported. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The other defendants — Perry's assistant Iwamasa,Dr. Mark Chavezand alleged drug dealer Erik Fleming — all pleaded guilty in August 2024. Federal prosecutors have alleged that the five defendants"took advantage" of Perryfor their own "profit."

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

Read the original article onPeople

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December 03, 2025

Matthew Perry's Mom and Stepdad Keith Morrison Say His Doctor Is 'Culpable' in Fiery Letter: 'Those Greedy Jackals'

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage (2); Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty NEED TO KNOW Matthew Perry's mother and stepfather, Suzanne and Keith Mor...

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Bad Bunny Remains the Reigning King of Spotify

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

There's no denying at this point that Bad Bunnymakes the world listen.

Spotify announced this morning that the Puerto Rican singer is its number-one most globally streamed artist for 2025. So far, he's racked up a whopping 19.8 billion streams—and the calendar year hasn't ended yet. This marksBad Bunny's fourth time as Spotify's top global artist; he also held the title in 2020, 2021, and 2022. In second place this year was Taylor Swift, fresh off the fall release of her twelfth studio album,The Life of a Showgirl, followed by The Weeknd, Drake, and Billie Eilish. (Diehard Swifties shouldn't fret—though Bad Bunny was the platform's global champion, Taylor Swift was still the top-streamed artist within the United States for 2025.)

Bad Bunny's Grammy-nominated project,Debí Tirar Más Fotos, took the top spot for the year's most-listened-to album, bringing in a staggering 7.7 billion streams alone. It was in good company alongside theK-Pop Demon Hunterssoundtrack,Hit Me Hard and Softby Billie Eilish,SOS Deluxe: LANAby SZA, and Sabrina Carpenter'sShort 'n Sweet, the year's other top-streamed albums.

It's easy to see why 2025 was the year of Bad Bunny. Following the release ofDTMF, the artist embarked on a summer-long, sold-out residency in San Juan, Puerto Rico that brought in hundred of millions of dollars to the island's local economy and concluded with a Prime Video–streamed live encore concert that waswatched by over 11 million people worldwide.Debí Tirar Más Fotosis nominated for six Grammys at next year's ceremony and has already made history as the first Spanish-language album to earn Best Album, Record, and Song nominations in the same year. And if that wasn't enough, in the midst of his current world tour, he's alsoset to headline Super Bowl LX's Apple Music Halftime Show.

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Hoda Kotb Shares New Holiday Tradition She’s Starting With Her Kids

This holiday season,Hoda Kotbis starting a fun new tradition with herdaughtersHaley, 8, and Hope, 6.

The formerTodayhost opened up about how she's creating a stress-free holiday in the Tuesday, December 2, edition of her newsletter. "When it comes to the holidays, I find it's helpful to kick perfection to the snowy curb. It's not happening!" she wrote. "Cookies will burn, ornaments will break, and our Elf on the Shelf will never be an overachiever."

As for her new holiday tradition? "This is the first year we're doing Elf on the Shelf, and my daughters can't wait to see where he ends up each morning after visiting Santa," Kotb revealed. "So far, he's returned to a shelf. I think Haley and Hope imagine more inventive scenarios because they regale me with stories of where their friends' elves have been spotted: He was zip-lining across the kitchen! He was making snow angels! He was at a tea party with marshmallows!"

Kotb, for her part, is taking a more relaxed approach to her kids' Elf on the Shelf. "Our elf is a shelf guy. Maybe a window sill," she quipped. "It's the anticipation, not the location, that's driving the girls' excitement, so we'll stick with keeping things simple. While I marvel at the creativity and commitment of other Elf handlers, I know myself. One day, one shelf at a time."

Hoda Kotb/Instagram

Kotb wrapped up her newsletter by offering some advice on how to manage this time of year's more stressful moments. "As December unfolds, give yourself a quiet moment to breathe and think about what you can gently let go of this season," she wrote. "Here's a little journaling prompt to guide you: What's one simple way I can ease the pressure this holiday so I can feel more joy? Write it down and carry it with you. Let's get ahead of maintaining the merry this season!"

Kotb started her email newsletter with the launch of her wellness company, Joy 101, earlier this year. Joy 101 is one of several projects Kotb has worked on sinceleavingherTodayhosting role earlier this year, including her latest book,Jump and Find Joy.

When KotbannouncedherTodayexit in September 2024, she cited wanting to spend more time with her daughters as a big reason behind her decision. "Obviously, I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time, that pie that I have," she explainedon the showat the time. "I feel like we only have a finite amount of time." (Kotb shared her daughters with herex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman.)

Kotb kicked off the 2025 holiday season by reuniting withToday'sSavannah GuthrieandAl Rokerto cohost theMacy's Thanksgiving Day Paradeon Thursday, November 27. Her daughters and more family members cheered her on along the parade route. "Uptown girls!" she captioned a Friday, November 28,Instagrampost featuring snaps of Haley and Hope watching the parade.

That same day. Kotb shared more pics of her family'sThanksgiving festivities— which also double as a birthday celebration for her brother, Adel. "Happy thanksgiving xoxoxo," she captioned theInstagramslideshow, the first slide of which featured a group selfie of her family at the dinner table.

Read the latest entertainment news onTV Insider.

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Supreme Court to debate if sidewalk preacher may pursue First Amendment suit

Gabriel Olivier's lawyers will tell the Supreme Court on Wednesday that his sidewalk ministry is about sharing his faith with his fellow citizens – and should be protected by the First Amendment.

But the suburban Mississippi community he sued will counter that Olivier was part of a group that used a loudspeaker to call people "whores" and "Jezebels" as they entered a country music concert – and that his case could open federal courts to a flood of new lawsuits from people critics say are effectively trying to reverse their convictions.

The justices are being asked to sort out whether Olivier may challenge the city of Brandon's ordinance regulating protests, even though he was convicted of violating that same ordinance months earlier. Under a1994 Supreme Court precedent, convicted criminals generally cannot file civil lawsuits that would undermine their convictions.

"These cases have never been about religious freedom or faith-based hostility," the city told the Supreme Court in written arguments this year. Instead, officials said, it is about Olivier's desire to have his "preferred method of protest, without regard for the rights or interests of anyone else."

Though the case is technical, the court's decision could have broad implications for similar ordinances across the country. Local governments fear Olivier's position will create new legal challenges to parade permitting requirements, zoning rules for adult businesses and regulations aroundhomeless encampments.

The conservative 6-3 Supreme Court has repeatedly sided with religious claims in recent years, although Olivier's case at this point is not directly about the First Amendment. There has also been a thorny debate percolating over the extent to which Americans can sue officials under a civil rights law Olivier is relying on for his case, a dispute that came into sharper view in an unrelated case earlier this year.

From Olivier's perspective, the appeal is about his ability "to exercise his free speech and free exercise rights without fear of a new prosecution."

Olivier is represented in part by First Liberty Institute, a group that has broughtseveral successful religious appealsto the Supreme Court in recent years.

Olivier traveled to Brandon several times in 2018 and 2019 to share his faith on sidewalks near the city's amphitheater. In 2019, the city passed an ordinance requiring protesters to gather in a designated area about 265 feet away. It banned loudspeakers audible more than 100 feet and required signs – regardless of their message – to be handheld.

The city described the protests as chaotic. The group sometimes held large signs depicting aborted fetuses, it said. Concertgoers would walk into traffic to avoid the group. Police would have to intervene to prevent fights between the group and attendees, the city said.

The group, according to the city, would shout out at patrons, calling them "grody," "nasty" and "sissies."

In 2021, as concertgoers arrived to hear country music artist Lee Brice perform, police advised Olivier and his group to move to the designated area. Olivier declined, according to court records, and was arrested for violating the ordinance. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to a fine and a year's unsupervised probation.

Olivier did not appeal his conviction – an avenue he might have used to raise his First Amendment claims. Instead, he relied on a Reconstruction-era federal law known as Section 1983 that allows people to sue state and local officials for violating their constitutional rights. As part of that lawsuit, Olivier argued the city ordinance violated his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.

The case turns on a 1994 Supreme Court decision, Heck v. Humphrey, which generally bars people convicted of a crime from filing a civil suit against police that would, if successful, effectively let them use a backdoor to invalidate their conviction. In this case, the city says Olivier's suit would do just that: He still had eight months left on his probation when he sued.

So if a federal court ruled that the city ordinance was unconstitutional, the city reasons, it would have shortened his punishment.

But Olivier countered that his civil suit has nothing to do with his prior conviction. Rather, he said, his litigation is about blocking future enforcement of the ordinance and would not disturb his prior conviction.

"The federal courthouse doors shouldn't be shut to Olivier simply because he's been prosecuted for exercising his rights in the past," his attorneys told the Supreme Court. "If anything, his past prosecution confirms that the threat of future enforcement against him is real."

The Supreme Courtshut down a Section 1983 lawsuitin June dealing with South Carolina's effort to block Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood. That decision drew a sharp debate between conservative Justice Clarence Thomas and liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson about the scope of the law.

Thomas called for the court to "reexamine" its Section 1983 jurisprudence,which he wrote"bears little resemblance to the statute as originally understood."

No other justice joined Thomas' opinion.

Jackson, joined by her liberal colleagues, pushed back on Thomas' suggestion, writing that it was worth "pausing briefly to think about whether the historical account he offers reflects the level of depth, nuance, or context needed to support the wholesale reappraisal he is envisioning."

A decision is expected next year.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

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December 03, 2025

Supreme Court to debate if sidewalk preacher may pursue First Amendment suit

Gabriel Olivier's lawyers will tell the Supreme Court on Wednesday that his sidewalk ministry is about sharing his faith with his fello...

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NATO allies gather in Brussels after inconclusive Ukraine peace talks in Moscow

Almost all ofNATO'sforeign ministers gathered in Brussels on Wednesday, a day afterinconclusive Ukraine peace talksbetween the United States andPresident Vladimir Putin, and as European officials struggled for a seat at the negotiating table.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that despite the absence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio — believed to be the first time in 22 years that America's top diplomat did not attend a ministerial gathering of this kind — he remained "very much involved" in the process.

Rutte said he was in "constant contact" with Rubio, adding: "I would not read anything in it." When it comes to the NATO elements of any peace deal "that will be dealt with separately, and that obviously will include NATO," he said.

Some European nations have expressed extreme disquiet at being apparently sidelined in talks.

"For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board," the E.U.'s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, told reporters last month.

Lithuania's national security adviser, Kęstutis Budrys, told journalists in Brussels last month that Europe's security "must not be discussed without Europe."

Russia wanted "to push out Americans from Europe, and to review the security architecture" on the continent, he added.

Lithuania sits between the Russian territory of Kaliningrad and staunch Kremlin ally Belarus, and was occupied by the Soviet Union until the end of Communism in 1990. It and fellow Baltic states of Latvia and Estonia have long feared an emboldened Russia.

European leaders were also blindsided byPresident Donald Trump's 28-point plan last month,which was seen as leaving not just Ukraine, but also the whole continent vulnerable.

Despite Rutte's conciliatory comments, Rubio's absence from the summit was "unusual," according to William Alberque, NATO's former arms control director. The last time he could remember such an absence was Colin Powell in 2003, attributed to the start of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

When asked why Rubio would not meet with NATO allies, especially during these ongoing Ukraine war negotiations, a senior State Department official told NBC News that he "has already attended dozens of meetings with NATO allies and it would be completely impractical to expect him at every meeting."

Despite being sidelined in discussions between Moscow and Washington, European leaders could still have "a direct impact on the talks" and "continue to guide the process," Alberque said.

He added, "it may seem that the Europeans are powerless in the face of Trump's style of leadership," but "we already have seen the so-called 'peace plan' change radically over the past days, with Ukrainian and European concerns increasingly reflected."

Before meeting with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner on Tuesday, Putin launched into a tirade against Europe, criticizing European leaders for hindering Trump's peace efforts from which, he said, Europe has removed itself. Russia has no intention of going to war with European countries, he told reporters, but if Europe starts a war, there can be no doubt about Russia's readiness to respond "right now."

Stefan Wolff, professor of international security at England's University of Birmingham, said Putin's rhetoric was part of the Russian narrative that Europe is undermining Trump's efforts to end the war, and if it weren't for European obstruction, then a deal would long have been done.

"That is probably true, but it's a good thing, because any such deal would be bad for Ukraine, bad for Europe, and ultimately bad for the U.S.," he added.

There was no real expectation of a breakthrough heading into the talks in Moscow, as the Kremlin did not show any intention ofeasing off on its hard-line demands.

Still, Moscow called the five-hour conversation "useful" and said some points could be agreed on, while others were viewed "negatively" by Putin. The parties also discussed the issue of territories — a key and very sensitive point for Ukraine — and that some American proposals on that looked "more or less acceptable" to the Kremlin. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday the talks were the first such "direct exchange of opinions," adding that Putin did not reject the U.S. plan.

Also on Wednesday, Ukraine's foreign minister Andriy Sybiha said the U.S. team had invited the Ukrainian delegation to "continue our talks in America in the near future."

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December 03, 2025

NATO allies gather in Brussels after inconclusive Ukraine peace talks in Moscow

Almost all ofNATO'sforeign ministers gathered in Brussels on Wednesday, a day afterinconclusive Ukraine peace talksbe...

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Massive power outage hits Cuba's western region after transmission line fails

HAVANA (AP) — A blackout hit Havana and the rest of the western half ofCubaon Wednesday, leaving millions of people without power on an island struggling with chronic outages blamed on a crumbling electric grid.

Lázaro Guerra, general director of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, said the massive outage was caused by a failure on a transmission line that connects two major plants. He said power would be restored gradually.

The outage followed two days of peak-hour power shortages across the island.

Atotal blackout hit Cuba in September, with officials blaming aging infrastructure and fuel shortages at power plants. The ongoing outages also affect water service and impact the island's fragile business sector.

Cuba is going through a severe economic crisis that deepened during the coronavirus pandemic, which paralyzed the key tourism sector, and was exacerbated by an increase inU.S. sanctionsand a failed internal financial reform to unify the currency.

The eastern half of Cuba also has beenstruggling with power outagesafter Hurricane Melissa slammed into that region in late October.

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Massive power outage hits Cuba's western region after transmission line fails

HAVANA (AP) — A blackout hit Havana and the rest of the western half ofCubaon Wednesday, leaving millions of people witho...

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Travis Kelce Says He and Taylor Swift Have 'Never Once' Had an Argument During Their 2.5 Year Relationship

New Heights/YouTube

NEED TO KNOW

• Travis Kelce says he and fiancée Taylor Swift have never argued in their 2.5-year relationship

• Kelce discussed relationships with George Clooney during the Dec. 3 episode of New Heights

• Clooney has claimed several times that he and his wife, Amal, have never had an argument in their 10 years together

ApparentlyTravis KelceandTaylor Swifthave a very peaceful love story.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 36, made a surprising claim on the Wednesday, Dec. 3 episode of his podcast,New Heights, while interviewing guestGeorge Clooney.

When asking Clooney about his past claim that he and his wife,Amal Clooney, havenever gotten into an argumentin their 10 years together, Kelce had the script flipped on him by the Oscar winner, 64.

"No, I'm not lying," Clooney insisted. "Travis, shall we ask you the same questions?"

Kelce laughed at the reference to his fiancée, Swift, claiming, "Well, it's only been two and a half years, and you're right. I haven't gotten into an argument. Never once."

Karwai Tang/WireImage

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Clooney went on to explain that he and Amal don't see the point in arguing, noting, "Neither of us are gonna win the argument, so why get in? Dude, I'm 64 years old. And what am I gonna argue about at this point? You know? I've met this incredible woman that is, she's beautiful and smart, and she stands for all the most important things that I believe in in the world. And I can't believe how lucky I am. So what am I going to fight about?"

Clooney then told Travis and his older brother and co-presenter,Jason Kelce, that they could follow his example, and Travis admitted, "I am for sure. I'm just taking notes this whole time, big guy. You don't even know."

Gotham/GC Images

Kelce and Swift first got together in 2023 after Travis made a public complaint about not getting to meet the pop star at her Kansas City Eras tour show.Swift called the move "metal as hell"in aTimemagazine interview, and the pair have been together ever since. In August they shared the news that they areengaged.

Back in October,Swift opened up about her romancewith Travis, noting that their professional passions drive their relationship.

XNY/Star Max/GC Images

"That's the coolest thing about Travis, like he is so passionate about what he does, that me being passionate about what I do, it connects us," she shared on BBC Radio 2'sThe Scott Mills Breakfast Show."There's no point in time where he's gonna be like, 'I'm really upset that you're still making the music.' "

As for Travis, he shared that his romance with Swift felt very natural from the get-go.

"Nothing I've ever done has been a controlled, organized process,"Travis toldGQin August. "When I say it was so organic, we fell in love just based off the people we were sitting in a room together with."

Read the original article onPeople

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December 03, 2025

Travis Kelce Says He and Taylor Swift Have 'Never Once' Had an Argument During Their 2.5 Year Relationship

New Heights/YouTube NEED TO KNOW Travis Kelce says he and fiancée Taylor Swift have never argued in their 2.5-year relationship Kelce dis...

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