OCDA Spitzer reacts to charges being filed in the drug-related death of Friends actor Matthew Perry

The filing of federal charges against five people, including two licensed doctors, with the ketamine-related death of Friends actor Matthew Perry underscores how California state laws continue to fail the victims of drug-related deaths.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has fought for years to strengthen state penalties for drug dealers – and to be able to charge murder in cases where someone dies. Yet, time and time again, the Legislature has failed to support bills that would allow prosecutors to hold drug dealers accountable for killing the people we love.

Addiction does not discriminate, and there are plenty of vultures circling the addicted, waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in and capitalize on their addiction. The death of Matthew Perry is tragic. Even more tragic is the concerted effort by people in his inner most circle to lead him to his death to make a quick buck.

For the last three years, I have cross-designated one of my prosecutors as a federal prosecutor to be able to go after drug dealers in drug death cases in federal court because the punishment simply doesn’t fit the crime in California’s criminal justice system.

Proposition 36, which will be on the November ballot, is an important step in the right direction by allowing prosecutors to charge great bodily injury in drug related deaths which would send drug dealers to prison where they belong and impose a strike under California’s Three Strikes law.

We shouldn’t have to go to the federal government to get justice for drug-related death victims because the California Legislature refuses to hold drug dealers accountable.