Almost a year to the day that Charles Oakley was involved in an ugly incident at Madison Square Garden after having a verbal altercation with team owner James Dolan, that ultimately resulted in the former New York Knicks star getting forcefully removed from the arena.
Oakley was banned by Manhattan Criminal Court last August, and the former Knicks enforcer wasn’t bothered about the ban per Jamie Cooper. However, that all changed on Friday after the court dropped all of the assault charges, thus clearing Oakley of any wrongdoing.
Oakley’s misdemeanor assault charges — for a televised scuffle with two Madison Square Garden security guards — were dismissed by a Manhattan judge on Friday afternoon, in accordance with an August deal in which the charges would be erased and sealed provided he stays out of trouble for six months.
Oakley did not have to appear in Manhattan Criminal Court Friday; the deal did not force him to admit any guilt.
Oakley can’t return to Madison Square Garden just yet, as he has another six months before he can attend a Knicks game. Oakley is also awaiting the outcome of a defamation suit he filed against Dolan after the Knicks owner suggested he might suffer from alcoholism and/or mental health issues.