On Sunday, a lawyer for the victims’ families said that the US Justice Department is making a plea deal offer to Boeing to avoid the trial of two fatal 737 MAX crashes.
It was during this time that Paul Cassell, a professor of law at the University of Utah and an advocate for the families, provided the details of this agreement, which include paying heavy penalties and hiring an external monitor through the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Should Boeing agree to it eventually and present it before a judge, he revealed that “families will strenuously object” to this arrangement.
Boeing declined comment when contacted by AFP.
More than one week ago, The New York Times reported prosecutors were considering such an alternative settlement called deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), but DOJ says it hasn’t reached a decision yet.
In May, the DOJ found that Boeing might be prosecuted for violating previous DPA applied after two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 which killed 346 people.
The three-year deal required Boeing to pay $2.5 billion in order to resolve fraud allegations related to certification of its 737 MAX planes.
But again earlier this year much attention returned back on the aviation giant following loss of fuselage panel forcing Alaska Airlines’ 737 MAX into emergency landing mid-flight.
Boeing’s production processes ran into problems on January 5th as scrutiny by regulators and Congress continued.
Meanwhile, victims’ families have repeatedly demanded federal prosecutors not reach another settlement but instead take Boeing back to court.
Prosecutors also faced pressure not wanting further harm befallen on Boeing since it is consider foundational in America’s aviation industry and national security too
Paul Cassell said that “the lead US prosecutor admitted there is ‘a strong interest’ by the families to go to trial but he repeatedly said that DOJ couldn’t prove charges by reasonable doubt.”
“Numerous times families argued for trial so they could let a jury decide that,” he added.
However, Boeing has contested the findings of the DOJ in mid-June but acknowledges how big a safety crisis this was.
That’s according to CEO Dave Calhoun who just told a recent congressional hearing that “We are taking action and making progress.”
The federal judge in Texas presiding over the case will ultimately determine whether or not the new DPA stands.
