Families of Boeing 737 Max Crash Victims Express Outrage Over Plea Deal

Families of the victims of the Boeing 737 Max crashes are expressing outrage over the recent plea deal with the Justice Department. Boeing, facing a felony conviction, has agreed to plead guilty to fraud in connection with the approval of its 737 Max before the two tragic crashes involving the plane that killed 346 people.

The American aerospace giant’s decision to admit to the crime comes as a potential resolution to avoid a lengthy public trial. However, some relatives of the crash victims are not satisfied with the plea deal, considering it too lenient given the magnitude of lives lost.

In a legal filing submitted on Sunday, the Justice Department revealed details of the agreement, stating that Boeing will pay a $243.6 million fine as part of the deal, matching a previous fine paid for the same offense in 2021.

The plea deal centers around a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States, specifically related to deceiving the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during the certification process of the 737 Max.

The crashes, occurring within five months of each other in 2018 and 2019, brought significant scrutiny to Boeing’s safety and certification practices.

Boeing’s board of directors will now be required to engage with the families of the crash victims, and the company will be placed on court-monitored probation for three years. An independent monitor appointed by the Justice Department will oversee Boeing’s compliance with the terms of the plea agreement.

Despite the plea deal, there will be a hearing before U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, to either accept or reject the agreement. Such agreements between defendants and the federal government often draw controversy due to the perceived bypassing of judicial authority.

The families of the crash victims have criticized the agreement, with some legal representatives labeling it a ‘sweetheart deal’ for Boeing. Lawyers for the families have objected to the terms of the deal, aiming to have a more active role in the selection process of the compliance monitor.

Javier de Luis, who tragically lost his sister Graziella de Luis y Ponce in the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash, is among those expressing dissatisfaction with the plea deal. He has been vocal about the need for greater accountability and a robust monitoring regimen to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Robert A. Clifford, senior partner at Clifford Law Offices and lead counsel for families of the crash victims, emphasized the families’ fight for a fair process and their determination to have a say in the monitor selection.