Former Supreme Court Chief Reviews Matthew Mayich Collapse

Scott Bales has been retained by Arizona State University to complete an independent review into the circumstances surrounding the August 20 outdoor workout that left hockey player Matthew Mayich on life support. Senior Vice President James Rund, who conducted the initial university review, wrote in a letter addressed to ASU President Michael Crow that Bales would examine facts compiled from the university, family attorneys, team members' lawyers, and law enforcement. Once finished, Bales will submit recommendations regarding policies for outdoor athletic activities.

Bales served 14 years on the Arizona Supreme Court as chief justice before joining The National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. While Mayich's attorney Rob Carey praised his selection, he argued that ASU hired him to review future prevention rather than investigate immediate accountability. Carey emphasized that existing safety rules mandate a root-cause investigation after student injuries and stated that the family requires answers about what went wrong on the field.