纽约南区地方法院法官理查德·沙利文裁定，已退役NBA球星查尔斯·欧克利未能提供充分证据支持其人身伤害指控，驳回了他对麦迪逊广场花园的诉讼。[1]法官在判词中指出，"充分的证据——包括多个角度的视频和每位证人的一致证词（甚至在某种程度上欧克利本人也支持这一点）——表明欧克利有合理的机会离开花园，但他反而诉诸暴力，且从未被推倒在地。"[1]
欧克利因2017年出席尼克斯主场比赛时与安保人员发生冲突被逮捕，其后提起诉讼。[1]麦迪逊广场花园方面声明表示，"超过九年来，欧克利的律师团队一直在追诉他们明知虚假的指控，这些指控现已被法院第三次全面驳回。"[1]
A federal judge has ruled against retired NBA star Charles Oakley in his legal battle with Madison Square Garden, finding that the former New York Knicks player failed to provide sufficient evidence to support allegations that he was assaulted by security guards at a 2017 game.[1] Judge Richard J. Sullivan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York determined that "Oakley has produced no evidence to support his claim that he was assaulted by MSG security guards."[1]
The dismissal marks the third time the case has been rejected by the court.[1] In his ruling, Judge Sullivan cited "ample evidence — including videos from multiple angles and the unanimous testimony of every witness (even, to some extent, Oakley himself) — [showing] 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."[1] A statement from Madison Square Garden asserted that "For more than nine years, Mr. Oakley's lawyers have pursued claims they knew were false. Those claims have now been dismissed by the Court in their entirety — for the third time."[1]