Charles Oakley – ejected from a Knicks game as he fought security, arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault in February – rejected a deal that would have given him a clean record after six months of good behavior.
With his trial nearing, Oakley reversed course… to take essentially the same deal.
Ian Begley of ESPN:
Charles Oakley accepted a deal in court today that essentially clears him of charges as long as he stays out of trouble for 6 months.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) August 4, 2017
One condition of Charles Oakley's plea deal (an ACD) is that Charles Oakley can't be in Madison Square Garden for one year.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) August 4, 2017
Charles Oakley's attorney, Alex Spiro: "He will be pursuing all civil remedies against Mr. (James) Dolan based on this incident."
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) August 4, 2017
Even if Oakley isn’t banned from Madison Square Garden by the Knicks, this deal will keep him out.
Though the NBA wants to move on, it seems a lawsuit is coming. I don’t know whether Knicks owner James Dolan would win that, but he can’t win in the court of public opinion against fan-favorite Oakley. The longer this drags out, the worse it is for Dolan.
