Boeing to avoid prosecution in US Justice Department deal over crashes

Boeing, a major American aerospace company, is facing significant scrutiny following a tragic series of events involving its 737 MAX aircraft. The U. S. Department of Justice has announced that Boeing will enter into a non-prosecution agreement regarding the fatal crashes of two 737 MAX planes, which resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives. This agreement allows Boeing to avoid an impending fraud trial that could have labeled the company as a felon. As part of the deal, Boeing will admit to obstructing federal aviation officials and will pay a hefty fine of $1. 1 billion. The crashes, which occurred in 2018 and 2019, claimed the lives of 346 individuals. The government has stated that it consulted with the families of the victims, many of whom either supported or did not oppose the agreement. However, some family members have expressed strong disapproval of the deal. Javier de Luis, who lost his sister in the 2019 Ethiopian crash, voiced his anger in a statement released by the lawyers representing the victims' families. He stated, 'The message sent by this action to companies around the country is, don’t worry about making your products safe for your customers. Even if you kill them, just pay a small fine and move on. ' Paul Cassell, a lawyer representing the victims' families, expressed hope that the court would reject the agreement. He described the non-prosecution deal as unprecedented and fundamentally wrong, especially given the severity of the situation, which he referred to as the deadliest corporate crime in U. S. history. Boeing declined to comment on the matter, and the U. S. Department of Justice also refrained from making any statements. In a court filing, the Justice Department indicated that Boeing would admit to 'conspiracy to obstruct and impede' an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and would pay over $1. 1 billion in fines. Additionally, Boeing will be required to continue improving its anti-fraud compliance and ethics program. The 737 MAX models were grounded worldwide for nearly two years following the Ethiopian Airlines crash, which resulted in the deaths of all 157 people on board. Just five months prior, another 737 MAX operated by Lion Air crashed shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia, killing 189 individuals. Both crashes were linked to faulty flight control systems, leading to fraud charges against a former top Boeing pilot, who was acquitted in 2022. In 2021, during the final days of the Trump presidency, Boeing reached a settlement with prosecutors that protected the company from prosecution for three years. However, federal prosecutors later claimed that Boeing violated this agreement by failing to implement a compliance and ethics program designed to detect violations of U. S. laws. A door panel detached from a 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines just two days before the agreement was set to expire. Last year, Boeing attempted to plead guilty to criminal fraud in a settlement to avoid trials, but a federal judge rejected the agreement, citing concerns that race-based considerations under Biden-era DEI policies would influence the selection of an independent monitor to oversee Boeing's compliance. The Justice Department is expected to file a motion to dismiss the case by late next week once the agreement is finalized. The Justice Department stated in court documents that the agreement ensures further accountability and substantial benefits from Boeing immediately, while avoiding the uncertainty and litigation risks associated with proceeding to trial. Many families of the victims have long advocated for a public trial and the prosecution of former Boeing officials, opposing efforts to drop the criminal case. Robert Clifford, a lawyer representing the victims' families, referred to the agreement as a 'sweetheart deal. ' Catherine Berthet, a French national whose 28-year-old daughter perished in the Ethiopian Airlines crash, expressed her shock at the DOJ's decision to grant Boeing a non-prosecution agreement. She stated, 'The government has blind faith in Boeing, to the point of letting it get away with the murder of 346 people, including my beloved daughter Camille.