Oak deal: Rejected!
Ex-Knick plea-free in Dolan feud
Ex-Knick Charles Oakley refused a plea deal Friday for allegedly assaulting two Madison Square Garden security guards during a televised scuffle at a basketball game in February.
Assistant District Attorney Ryan Lipes offered Oakley an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal — a deal that would not require him to admit any guilt. If he stayed out of trouble for six months, the case would be dropped.
But his lawyer, Alex Spiro, standing beside the 6-foot-8 retired forward, rejected the offer and opted to go to trial instead. Judge Joanne Watters set a trial date of Aug. 4 in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Spiro has submitted several subpoena requests for documents related to the incident and said he planned to call several witnesses at the trial.
Madison Square Garden officials declined to comment on Oakley’s legal move.
Oakley had been heck- ling Knicks owner James Dolan, who was sitting nearby, during the Knicks’ Feb. 8 game against the Los Angeles Clippers, sources said at the time.
When security tried to intervene, Oakley allegedly cursed at them, and the altercation quickly escalated into a brawl as two guards tried to toss him from the arena.
The hoops star previously insisted that he had done “nothing wrong” and “felt disrespected” in the ordeal.