(NewsNation) — Jasveen Sangha, a dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen,” and two doctors are among five charged in the death of actor Matthew Perry.

All of the defendants face multiple charges, and Sangha could face life in prison. The other defendants could face more than 20 years in prison if convicted.

Mark Geragos, whose firm represents Sangha, analyzed the case Thursday on NewsNation’s “CUOMO,” saying, “Just because it’s a tragedy doesn’t mean it’s criminal.”

“I just don’t see it in terms of a criminal case,” Geragos said. “I understand people want to hold people accountable. I get that. … But I think they’re going to have a very tough time holding people accountable.”

Perry was found with ketamine in his system; the actor had been using it to treat his depression. Earlier in the year, Los Angeles police said they were working with federal authorities to determine the source of the drug, which was not legally prescribed.

How did Matthew Perry die?

Perry, 54, was found face down in his hot tub Oct. 28, 2023.

An autopsy blamed his death on an overdose of ketamine. According to the findings, the overdose caused Perry to lose consciousness and drown.

Perry had been undergoing supervised treatment with ketamine for his depression. However, his last session had been more than a week before his death, so the ketamine in his system could not have been from that.

The medical examiner said the amount of ketamine in Perry’s system was equivalent to the amount used as anesthesia in general surgery. His death was ruled an accident.

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is a general anesthetic that also has psychedelic properties. Recently, it has been investigated as a treatment for depression and bipolar disorder, especially among those who do not respond to other medications.

Ketamine, like other psychedelics, is believed to work by increasing plasticity in the brain, helping people make new connections and essentially rewire parts of their brain to reduce depression.

While centers have cropped up around the country offering IV ketamine as a treatment, it is not FDA-approved for treating depression. Ketamine treatment comes with risks, including the potential for addiction and overdose.

Matthew Perry’s history and legacy

Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the hit show “Friends,” was open about his history of opioid and alcohol addiction as well as his experiences with depression. He was an advocate for increasing treatment for addiction as an alternative to incarceration.

At the time of his death, Perry had reportedly been sober for 19 months, according to the autopsy report.

Following Perry’s death, his “Friends” co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer said they were devastated by the news.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just castmates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss,” they said in a statement.

NewsNation’s Steph Whiteside contributed to this report.