Charles Oakley's lawsuit against Madison Square Garden was dismissed by a federal judge on Monday, according to The Athletic's Daniel Kaplan.
Oakley's lawsuit stemmed from a 2017 incident in which he was forcefully removed from Madison Square Garden and subsequently arrested. The judge placed the blame on Oakley for the 2017 incident on Monday, stating the "video footage conclusively shows the MSG guards giving Oakley ample opportunity to leave the arena.
"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."
Oakley was banned from Madison Square Garden for one year following the 2017 incident. He lost a civil suit against the Knicks and owner James Dolan in 2020.
The former Bulls and Knicks forward played 19 NBA seasons from 1985-2004. He tallied 12,417 career points and 12,205 career rebounds, earning two All-Defense selections.
