Boeing Prosecutor Hearing Scheduled Amid Crash Families’ Outcry
A federal judge in Fort Worth, Texas, will hear arguments this Wednesday regarding a U.S. government motion to dismiss felony charges against Boeing related to two deadly 737 Max crashes.
Boeing faces allegations of conspiracy to commit fraud after 346 lives were lost in crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia between October 2018 and March 2019. The government claims Boeing misled regulators about a faulty flight-control system that contributed to the incidents.
In December 2023, Judge Reed O’Connor rejected a plea agreement from Boeing, prompting delays that have allowed the company to challenge charges. Families of crash victims are pushing for criminal prosecution of former Boeing executives.
Families await Judge O’Connor’s decision, with some, including Catherine Berthet, whose daughter died in the Ethiopian crash, advocating for a special prosecutor. Berthet criticized the Justice Department for abandoning prosecution.
The Justice Department maintains that many families support a settlement. Boeing’s past settlement included a deferred prosecution agreement contingent upon compliance, but allegations of further violations have emerged.
The upcoming hearing will address whether the government can dismiss charges while retaining the option to refile if conditions of a proposed agreement are unmet. The hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, with significant implications for accountability related to the two tragedies.