The Justice Department defended its plea deal with Boeing over two fatal plane crashes, stating it cannot prosecute the company on more severe charges because it lacks the evidence to do so. This plea deal involves Boeing pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving regulators about the 737 Max. Boeing would pay fines of at least $243.6 million and invest $455 million in safety programs. The court filing came after relatives of crash victims urged a federal judge to reject the settlement, arguing it was too lenient given the loss of lives.
If the agreement is dismissed, prosecutors stated no additional charges beyond conspiracy, such as manslaughter, would be pursued. The Justice Department emphasized, however, that the deal holds Boeing accountable. US District Judge Reed O'Connor may accept or reject the plea agreement, which would likely spur a new round of negotiations. Previously, O'Connor criticized Boeing for "egregious criminal conduct" and stated that the Justice Department did not inform victims' families about prior negotiations.
Boeing previously blamed two low-ranking employees for misleading the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about a new flight-control software system. This system caused both crashes by forcing the planes' noses downwards based on erroneous sensor data. Although a 2021 deferred-prosecution agreement seemed to absolve Boeing of further criminal charges, the Justice Department revisited the case in May, citing violations of that settlement. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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