Former Knicks Star Charles Oakley's Charges Against MSG Dismissed by Judge

All of Charles Oakley's charges against Madison Square Garden have been dismissed.

Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic reported federal judge Richard Sullivan dismissed the charge that MSG security used unnecessary force to remove the former New York Knicks player from a game in February 2017. It was the only one of Oakley's claims that had not been dismissed last year by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

Knicks governor James Dolan asked security to remove Oakley from the arena, and Sullivan seemed to blame the former player for how things unfolded.

"(T)he video footage conclusively shows the MSG guards giving Oakley ample opportunity to leave the arena; the same video also shows that Oakley ignored the guards' entreaties and repeated attempts to direct him toward the exit," the judge wrote. "In fact, the video reveals that it was Oakley who unilaterally escalated the confrontation, leading to his eventual forcible removal."

Sullivan also suggested the reasoning behind Dolan's decision was not important because MSG can evict any of its ticket holders.

"And the undisputed video evidence conclusively demonstrates that the Garden's security guards did not use excessive force as they escorted Oakley from the arena," Sullivan wrote. "... Oakley's previously offered versions of the events are 'so blatantly contradicted by the (video) record ... that no reasonable jury could believe (them).'"

In February 2020, MSG spokeswoman Kim Kerns told Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic that Oakley was no longer banned from the arena after a civil trespass order lapsed in 2018.

Oakley was physically restrained by multiple security guards and police officers before he was arrested for the incident.

He told Dan Gelston of the Associated Press in March 2019 there wasn't much hope for any reconciliation between him and Dolan.

"Why would I want to do it with someone who had me dragged out of the Garden for no reason," Oakley said. "Why would I want a relationship with him? I told him I wasn't happy."

The 57-year-old played for the Knicks for 10 seasons from 1988-89 through 1997-98. He also suited up for the Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets during a career that featured two All-Defensive selections and one All-Star nod.