Charles Oakley Sues Knicks Owner James Dolan, Madison Square Garden and MSG Networks

former new york knicks all-star forward charles oakley filed a legal civil suit on tuesday in the u.s. district court southern district of new york. oakley is responding to his highly-publicized altercation with madison square garden security guards in february 2017. 

the suit names embattled knicks owner james dolan, madison square garden and msg networks as defendants. the suit also identifies dolan as "one person who could not abide by mr. oakley's refusal to meekly submit to people in positions of power."

additionally, oakley accuses dolan of "a history of mistreating former employees." but his lawsuit does acknowledge dolan "inherited" control of the team from his father after oakley's time playing with the knicks. 

oakley was physically removed from the garden during a knicks game with the los angeles clippers, arrested and subsequently banned from the world's most famous arena. dolan, himself a recovering alcoholic, publicly suggested oakley had an alcohol problem and anger management issues.

the suit also says, "as if their public mistreatment of mr. oakley was not embarrassing and shameful enough, over the ensuing days defendants dolan and msg launched a coordinated and defamatory public relations campaign." oakley seeks "all monetary and/or economic damages incurred as a result of defendants' unlawful actions in the lawsuit."