The Justice Department has reached an agreement in principle with Boeing that would allow the aerospace company to avoid criminal prosecution related to allegations of misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner prior to two fatal crashes that claimed the lives of 346 people, according to court documents filed on Friday.
The Justice Department stated in its filing that the “agreement in principle” will require Boeing to pay and invest over $1.1 billion. In exchange, the department will dismiss the criminal case against the aircraft manufacturer. The settlement is still subject to finalization.
In court papers, Justice Department lawyers wrote that the agreement “guarantees further accountability and substantial benefits from Boeing immediately, while avoiding the uncertainty and litigation risk presented by proceeding to trial.”
However, Paul Cassell, an attorney representing many of the families involved in the long-standing legal proceedings, has previously indicated that his clients strongly oppose any resolution that avoids criminal prosecution. In a recent statement, Cassell said that “dismissing the case would dishonor the memories of 346 victims who Boeing killed through its callous lies.”
Numerous relatives of the passengers who perished in the crashes, which occurred off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia within a five-month span in 2018 and 2019, have persistently advocated for a public trial, the prosecution of former Boeing officials, and more severe financial penalties for the company.
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