Overview
- U.S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan granted summary judgment for MSG on Friday, finding Charles Oakley produced no evidence that he was assaulted during his February 8, 2017 ejection from Madison Square Garden.
- The judge relied on multi-angle video, sworn eyewitness statements including John McEnroe’s, and internal documents — including early drafts of Oakley’s book — that the court said undercut Oakley’s account.
- Oakley’s lead lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said they will appeal to the Second Circuit and press for a jury trial, arguing that conflicting accounts should be resolved by jurors.
- MSG praised the decision, said the claims were false and announced plans to seek legal action against Oakley’s counsel; Oakley was already ordered in October 2025 to pay roughly $642,337 in fees over discovery disputes.
- The case is not finished because outstanding motions and competing requests for Rule 11 sanctions remain pending, and the Second Circuit could again revive aspects of the suit or leave the sanction issues for further proceedings.