A federal judge has dismissed former New York Knicks forward Charles Oakley's lawsuit against Madison Square Garden and owner James Dolan for the third time. The suit stemmed from Oakley's ejection from an NBA game in February 2017, his subsequent arrest, and claims of false imprisonment and defamation.
The legal proceedings have been ongoing since Oakley was removed from Madison Square Garden after an altercation with security guards. The case was initially dismissed in early 2020, again in 2021, and was revived in early 2023 before its latest dismissal.
Madison Square Garden released a statement expressing their intent to pursue legal action against Oakley's lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, and his firm. MSG stated that Wigdor's firm has pursued claims they knew were false and has engaged in "frivolous litigation and blatant abuse of the judicial system."
Oakley's legal team expressed disappointment with the court's ruling, asserting that there are conflicting accounts of the events and that a jury should decide the outcome. They remain hopeful that an appeals court will agree to remand the case for a jury trial.
Oakley, who played for the Knicks for over a decade and was part of the team that reached the NBA Finals in 1994, has maintained a public presence supporting the team, even attending road playoff games during their recent championship run. Despite the legal dismissal, Oakley has continued to support the Knicks.
