Judge sides with MSG against Oakley, says former Knick couldn't prove he was assaulted at game
- A federal judge ruled in favor of Madison Square Garden in Charles Oakley's long-running legal case over his removal from a 2017 Knicks game.
- Judge Richard J. Sullivan said Oakley had produced no evidence that MSG security guards assaulted him.
- The ruling follows earlier dismissals of several of Oakley's claims, leaving only the assault-and-battery claim after appeal.
- MSG said the case had now been dismissed in full for the third time and said it planned legal action against Oakley's lawyer.
- Oakley's attorney said they disagreed with the ruling and hoped the Second Circuit would send the case to a jury trial.
A federal judge ruled for Madison Square Garden in its dispute with former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley, finding that Oakley had not shown he was assaulted when he was removed from a 2017 game at the arena. The case stemmed from an altercation with security while Oakley was seated near team owner James Dolan during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Judge Richard J. Sullivan of the Southern District of New York said Oakley had produced no evidence to support his assault claim against MSG security guards. In his ruling, the judge said the record, including video evidence and witness testimony, showed Oakley had a chance to leave and was not pushed to the ground.
Several of Oakley’s earlier claims had already been dismissed in February 2020, and the assault-and-battery allegation remained after appeal. MSG said the decision dismissed the case in full for the third time and that it intended to pursue legal action against Oakley’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor.
Wigdor said he disagreed with the court’s ruling and believed the case contained conflicting accounts that should be decided by a jury. He said he hoped the Second Circuit would send the matter back for trial.
法官支持麦迪逊广场花园对奥克利的立场，称这名前尼克斯球员未能证明自己在比赛中遭到袭击
联邦法官裁定麦迪逊广场花园在与前纽约尼克斯球员查尔斯·奥克利的争议中胜诉，认为奥克利未能证明自己在2017年被从球馆带离时遭到袭击。此案源于奥克利在一场对阵洛杉矶快船的比赛中，坐在球队老板詹姆斯·多兰附近时与安保人员发生冲突。
纽约南区联邦地区法院法官理查德·J·沙利文表示，奥克利没有提供证据支持其针对麦迪逊广场花园安保人员的袭击指控。法官在裁定中说，视频证据和证人证词显示，奥克利有机会离开，而且并未被推倒在地。
奥克利的多项早前主张已在2020年2月被驳回，上诉后只剩袭击和殴打指控继续保留。麦迪逊广场花园表示，这项裁定意味着案件第三次被全部驳回，并称将对奥克利的律师道格拉斯·维格多尔采取法律行动。
维格多尔表示，他不同意法院的裁定，认为案件存在相互矛盾的说法，应由陪审团判断。他表示，希望第二巡回上诉法院再次将案件发回重审。