Oakley Assault Lawsuit Against MSG Dismissed Again

A federal judge ruled Friday that former New York Knicks star Charles Oakley failed to prove he was assaulted by Madison Square Garden security guards during his removal from a 2017 game, dismissing his lawsuit against the arena and its owner, James Dolan, for a third time. U.S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan of the Southern District of New York granted summary judgment to the defendants, bringing a close to a nearly decade-long legal battle that wound through multiple appeals.

The ruling centers on an incident on February 8, 2017, during a game between the Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers. Oakley, a fan-favorite power forward for the team in the 1990s, was sitting near owner James Dolan when an altercation with arena security ensued. He was handcuffed, arrested, and temporarily banned from the venue. Oakley subsequently filed a lawsuit alleging assault, battery, false imprisonment, and defamation, which began a protracted court fight.

In his opinion, Judge Sullivan concluded that Oakley produced no evidence to support his claim of assault. The judge noted that video evidence and prior testimony indicated Oakley was not pushed to the ground and had an opportunity to leave...