On Sunday, lawyers representing the families of the victims of the two 737 Max crashes announced that U.S. prosecutors have requested Boeing to plead guilty to charges related to the incidents. The proposed plea deal has been criticized as a “sweetheart deal” by the attorneys, who argue that it does not adequately hold Boeing accountable for its role in the crashes that resulted in the deaths of 346 individuals.
The U.S. Justice Department reconsidered its agreement with Boeing after an incident where a door panel on a new 737 Max 9 exploded during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, sparking a new safety and quality control crisis for Boeing, one of the leading commercial aircraft suppliers globally. Boeing had previously admitted that two of its pilots had deceived the FAA by hiding the introduction of a new flight-control system to the planes before they were commercially available. This system was later found to be linked to the two crashes.
The potential plea deal with Boeing is under scrutiny for its leniency, considering the severity of the incidents and the loss of lives involved. The families of the victims and their legal representatives are pushing for accountability and justice for those affected by the crashes, and they believe that any plea deal should reflect this need for accountability. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for Boeing and its reputation as a trusted provider of commercial aircraft.
In May, it was announced that U.S. prosecutors were investigating whether Boeing had violated a 2021 settlement that shielded it from federal charges related to its role in two 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.
Under this settlement, Boeing agreed to pay a $2.5 billion fine for its involvement in a conspiracy related to these accidents, which resulted in over 346 deaths.
Now, it appears that U.S prosecutors are looking at holding Boeing accountable once again.
If accepted, this plea deal could potentially have far-reaching consequences for both company and industry leaders alike, as it sets precedent for future cases involving corporate responsibility.
As such, lawyers representing families impacted by these accidents are calling on regulators and lawmakers to take action against what they see as an abdication of corporate responsibility by one of America’s largest corporations.
It remains uncertain whether or not this plea deal will be accepted by U
