One of the newest husbands on “Real Housewives of Atlanta” is preparing to fork over a hefty lump sum to settle a long-running legal battle.
Charles Oakley, husband of “RHOA” newbie Angela Oakley, has been ordered to pay $642,337 in legal fees tied to his 2017 altercation and removal from Madison Square Garden.
The ruling came from U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky on October 31. MSG’s legal team claimed the fees were necessary to recover Oakley’s deleted text messages connected to the case. They initially requested about $1.5 million, but the judge cut the bill down, calling the original fees excessive.
Oakley’s conflict with MSG stems from a New York Knicks game on February 8, 2017, when the former basketball star was ejected following an argument with security near owner James Dolan. The video showed Oakley being restrained and later handcuffed in front of fans. He was charged with assault and trespassing, but denied any wrongdoing.
“I shouldn’t have put my hands on anyone,” Oakley said after the incident, adding he only got physical after being surrounded by security.
The NBA even stepped in to try to cool things down, with Commissioner Adam Silver and Michael Jordan helping mediate, leading to the Knicks lifting Oakley’s ban from the arena. Still, Oakley sued MSG and Dolan for assault and defamation. While parts of that lawsuit are still active, the recent legal fee ruling is a major setback.
Oakley’s lawyer plans to appeal the ruling, arguing that MSG’s request was “wildly inflated.” With the new season of “RHOA” on the way, his legal woes could likely be a talking point amongst the ladies in the group.
