Jameson Rodgers Allegedly Hit a Fan With a Beer Can – And Court Says Sony Must Face Lawsuit

Country singer Jameson Rodgers allegedly hurled a “full, unopened beer can” into a concert crowd and hit a fan during a 2022 festival on the Jersey Shore – and an appeals court now says Sony Music must continue to face the resulting lawsuit filed by the injured woman.

Samantha Haws sued Rodgers, Sony and others, claiming the incident at the 2022 Barefoot Country Music Festival in Wildwood, NJ, had left her with “severe and permanent injuries.” She even sued MillerCoors because it was a can of Miller Lite that Rodgers allegedly threw.

Sony wants to be dismissed from the case, arguing that it cannot be sued in New Jersey because it isn’t based in the state and didn’t operate the festival. But a lower judge denied that request last year – and a New Jersey appeals court upheld that ruling on Wednesday.

In recent years, there’s been a disturbing trend of objects being thrown at concert performers. NBA YoungBoy stopped a show earlier this month after fans threw objects, Luke Combs was hit in the face during a July concert, and Bebe Rexha needed stitches after being hit with a smartphone, leading to criminal charges against the offender.

But there’s also been multiple incidents involving objects thrown by the artists, often resulting in legal action. 50 Cent was sued last year over an incident in which he threw a microphone off-stage in frustration, allegedly hitting a stagehand. Cardi B hurled a mic at a fan who threw a drink at her at a 2023 Las Vegas concert, resulting in another lawsuit.

In her July 2024 case, Haws claims that Rodgers and/or others “threw full, unopened cans of Miller Lite beer from the stage into the crowded audience” at the Barefoot Festival. She says one struck her “violently and without warning in the head and facial area,” leaving her with “severe, painful and permanent bodily injuries.”

Sony, named as a defendant in the case because Rodgers is signed to Columbia Nashville, immediately moved to exit the case. The company argued that it didn’t organize or market the festival or pay for or provide security for it. But a judge said last year that Rodgers had potentially performed at the festival as Sony’s agent, which could legally put the company on the hook for his actions.

In Wednesday’s decision, the New Jersey appeals court rejected Sony’s appeal of that ruling. It said there was “no error” by the lower judge because Haws had established a “business relationship between Sony and Rodgers related to live performances” and the label “would be subject to specific jurisdiction if Rodgers was acting on Sony’s behalf at the time Haws was injured.”

The ruling does not mean Sony is liable to Haws, or that her allegations will ultimately be proven. Instead, it merely sets the stage for more litigation over whether Sony was sufficiently involved to face the lawsuit. Reps for Sony, and both reps and an attorney for Rodgers did not immediately return requests for comment on Thursday.