NEW YORK CITY — Knicks legend Charles Oakley will head to trial in August after rejecting a plea deal over charges stemming from a high-profile scuffle at Madison Square Garden earlier this year, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said.
An Assistant District Attorney on Friday offered to drop charges against Oakley and seal his case if he wasn’t arrested again for six months and complied with an order of protection. He instead opted to go to trial, the DA’s office said.
The trial will take place on Aug. 4, the DA’s office added. It wasn't clear what the order of protection stated.
In February, security forcibly removed the beloved former player from Madison Square Garden after he got into an altercation with staff at the venue while watching the Knicks play the Los Angeles Clippers.
Soooooo Charles Oakley just got into a fight at he Knicks game. pic.twitter.com/klZBD89VI7
— Ian Schafer (@ischafer) February 9, 2017
Prosecutors say Oakley started “shouting and cursing,” struck the Garden’s events manager in the face and shoved its events supervisor.
The former player, however, claimed he was removed and temporarily banned from the venue because Knicks owner James Dolan had a personal vendetta against him.
“I didn’t do nothing. I was only in the arena five minutes,” Oakley previously told the Associated Press.
He faces charges including assault, aggravated harassment and criminal trespass.
His attorney on Friday declined to comment on his court appearance.
