Relatives of some of the 346 people killed in two crashes involving Boeing 737 Max planes are expected in court Friday, where their lawyers will ask a federal judge to reconsider a plea deal the plane manufacturer struck with federal prosecutors.
The family members want the government to take Boeing to court, where the company could be punished more severely.
In July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with obtaining regulatory approval for the Max. The settlement between Boeing and the Justice Department requires Boeing – a major government contractor – to pay a fine and be placed on probation.
Relatives of passengers call it a love deal with no regard for the lives lost.
“The families who lost loved ones in the 737 Max crashes deserve far more than the inadequate, superficial deal between Boeing and the Justice Department,” said Erin Applebaum, an attorney whose firm represents some of the families. “They deserve a transparent legal process that truly holds Boeing accountable for its actions.”
Lawyers for the government and the company have filed court papers defending the settlement, and lawyers for the passengers’ families have explained their opposition to the deal. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor will question both sides during Friday’s hearing in Fort Worth, Texas.
If the judge accepts the guilty plea, he must also approve the sentence agreed upon by Boeing and prosecutors — he cannot impose other conditions. It is unclear when O’Connor will rule on the case.
Boeing is accused of misleading regulators who approved minimal, computer-based training for Boeing 737 pilots before they could fly the Max. Boeing wanted to prevent regulators from requiring training in flight simulators, which would have increased the costs for airlines to operate the plane.
The Justice Department says conspiracy to defraud the government is the most serious charge it can prove. Prosecutors say they cannot prove Boeing’s actions caused the 2018 crashes in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia.
The agreement calls for Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing to pay a minimum fine of $243.6 million, invest $455 million in compliance and safety programs and be placed on probation for three years.
