Matthew Mayich's family lawyer, Robert Carey, has delivered devastating news today, and now he is looking to investigate Arizona State University.
21-Year-Old St. Louis Blues prospect Matthew Mayich is currently in a coma following an off-ice workout led by former Green Beret Tim Zeisel.
Robert Carey, the Mayich family attorney, delivered the sad news today that Mayich now has no chance of recovering. It is a horrific situation, and Carey is now looking for answers, according to College Hockey Insider.
He believes there have been contradictions in the way Arizona State has handled this, and his intention is to get to the bottom of how Mayich could have suffered such a horrible medical emergency.
The biggest dispute is no longer whether the workout was difficult, but whose version of it survives the evidence
Carey claims players at ASU were interviewed after the fact. In their accounts, they alleged a hostile environment with military-style commands and restricted water access. Furthermore, some of the players said they were allegedly told not to complain.
Zeisel's attorneys have disputed this characterization. They say the head coach, assistants, and even medical personnel were on hand to make sure everything went smoothly.
The school itself has made it clear that they are reviewing the situation. Additionally, they are not accepting Carey's allegations as facts.
There are various pieces of information that could potentially settle these contradictions. For instance, Carey will be seeking videos, messages, staff communications, player testimony, and even medical records. It will be the only way to paint a full, unbiased picture of what took place.
Two very different versions of the same 50-minute workout are now being presented to the public. The documents and video Carey says he intends to pursue may ultimately matter more than either side's description of events.
Carey's call to place staff on leave puts witness independence at the center of the dispute
Carey argues that ASU players could fear consequences if asked to speak while the current staff remains in his place. This is not an established finding, although it is what Carey maintains.
The coaching staff has not been placed on administrative leave at this time, although Carey believes it would be beneficial for avoiding any perceived conflicts.
Overall, his criticism goes deeper than ASU getting this workout wrong. He questions whether or not players can even speak freely and whether the internal ASU investigation will have the public's confidence. ASU has not accepted Carey's allegations and says it is reviewing everything surrounding the workout, while declining to comment on his specific claims.
The next major development may be less about another public statement and more about whether ASU changes who oversees the review, whether staff remain around potential witnesses, and what video, messages and other records are ultimately preserved and produced.
Do you believe the Matthew Mayich situation was preventable?
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