Charles Oakleys lengthy legal fight with Madison Square Garden has suffered another major setback.A federal judge dismissed the former New York Knicks All-Stars remaining assault-and-battery claim against MSG on Friday, ruling that Oakley had failed to provide sufficient evidence that security guards assaulted him during his highly publicized removal from a Knicks game in 2017.Oakley was handcuffed and arrested following an altercation with security while sitting near Knicks owner James Dolan during a game against the LA Clippers.Judge Richard J. Sullivan of the Southern District of New York ruled against Oakleys claim.Has produced no evidence to support his claim that he was assaulted by MSG security guards, Sullivan wrote of Oakley.Oakley originally filed several claims against MSG, with most dismissed in February 2020. An appeal allowed his assault-and-battery claim to continue, but Fridays decision brought another victory for MSG in the nine-year dispute.Sullivan pointed to video footage and witness testimony when explaining his decision.Ample evidence including videos from multiple angles and the unanimous testimony of every witness (even, to some extent, Oakley himself) shows that Oakley had a reasonable opportunity to depart the Garden, that he instead resorted to physical violence, and that he was never pushed to the ground, Sullivan wrote.The judge added that no rational jury could conclude that Oakley reasonably feared himself at risk of wrongful physical contact let alone that MSG intended to stir such an apprehension.MSG responded with a strongly worded statement following the ruling.For more than nine years, Mr. Oakleys lawyers have pursued claims they knew were false. Those claims have now been dismissed by the Court in their entirety for the third time, MSG said. We are pursuing legal action against Douglas Wigdor, and his unscrupulous law firm, to hold them accountable for years of frivolous litigation and their blatant abuse of the judicial system.Related Article: WNBA Addresses Transgender Athlete Eligibility After Growing League DebateHowever, Oakleys attorney Douglas Wigdor indicated the legal fight may not be finished.We are disappointed with the Courts rulings, Wigdor wrote in an email. We believe there are conflicting accounts and only a jury can decide what exactly happened. We are hopeful that the Second Circuit will agree for a third time and remand the case for an immediate jury trial.READ MORE: Stephen A. Smith Has Harsh Rob Pelinka Prediction After Lakers Sale
