Photo: SHELBY TAUBER / AFP / Getty Images
A federal judge in Texas has dismissed a criminal conspiracy charge against Boeing related to two deadly 737 Max jetliner crashes that claimed 346 lives. On Thursday (November 6), U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor approved the federal government's request to dismiss the case as part of a deal requiring Boeing to pay or invest an additional $1.1 billion. This amount will cover fines, compensation for the victims' families, and improvements in internal safety and quality measures.
The decision follows an emotional hearing in September where relatives of the victims urged the judge to reject the deal and appoint a special prosecutor. The crashes occurred off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Prosecutors alleged that Boeing misled regulators about a flight-control system implicated in the crashes. This software caused the plane's nose to pitch down repeatedly due to faulty sensor readings, and pilots were unable to regain control.
The Justice Department initially charged Boeing in January 2021, accusing the company of defrauding the U.S. government. A previous plea deal requiring Boeing to admit guilt was rejected by Judge O’Connor. The Justice Department argued that the current agreement serves the public interest better than a trial, which could result in a verdict that spares Boeing further punishment. While 110 families of crash victims either support or do not oppose the deal, nearly 100 families remain against it.