American Military News by Lauren Rosenblatt - The Seattle Times May 15, 2024
Boeing violated an agreement that allowed it to avoid criminal charges following two fatal 737 Max crashes, U.S. Justice Department attorneys announced Tuesday as they revived a prosecution paused three years ago.
That prosecution has been on hold since 2021, when Boeing and federal prosecutors struck a contentious agreement that required the airplane manufacturer to meet certain conditions related to safety for three years. Had Boeing been found to have complied with the agreement, it would have avoided the possibility of a criminal conviction in the two Max crashes that killed more than 300 people.
The deferred prosecution agreement expired in January, days before a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max, reigniting scrutiny of whether Boeing had made required changes to its culture, quality assurance and compliance programs following the two fatal crashes.
On Tuesday, the Justice Department determined Boeing had not complied with the terms of the agreement, opening the door for federal prosecutors to once again pursue criminal claims against the company.
Paul Cassell, an attorney who is representing many of the families who lost loved ones in the Max crashes, said the Justice Department’s decision was “a positive first step, and for the families, a long time coming.”
More:
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2024/05/justice-dept-to-prosecute-boeing-in-737-max-crashes-finds-it-broke-deal/
