Judge Richard J. Sullivan of the Southern District of New York dismissed Charles Oakley's assault claim against MSG, stating Oakley produced no evidence of assault by security during a 2017 game.

Oakley, handcuffed after an altercation near owner James Dolan, had earlier filed claims that were largely rejected in February 2020. Only the assault‑and‑battery claim survived appeal. MSG cited video and witness testimony proving Oakley was not assaulted. "For more than nine years, Mr. Oakley's lawyers have pursued claims they knew were false," MSG said, adding it will pursue action against Douglas Wigdor and his firm for frivolous litigation.

Oakley, a beloved Knicks forward from the 1990s, remains absent from MSG during recent playoff runs. Sullivan noted ample evidence—multiple‑angle video and unanimous witness statements—showed Oakley had an opportunity to leave, chose violence instead, and was never pushed to the ground. He concluded no rational jury could find Oakley reasonably feared wrongful contact or that MSG intended to desecrate. Wigdor remains hopeful a jury can decide the conflicting accounts and seeks a remand. The court’s ruling marks a third dismissal of Oakley's claims.