OAN Staff Blake Wolf
5:38 PM – Thursday, August 15, 2024
The Justice Department is now facing backlash from the families of the Boeing 737 Max crash victims over a criminal plea deal the DOJ proposed on Wednesday.
The deal involves the controversial company pleading guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge, as well as paying a fine of $243.6 million after the company violated a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement.
Boeing would also be required to invest $455 million on new compliance and safety programs, as well as three years of an independent corporate monitor.
The Boeing crashes in question took place in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the death of 346 individuals on board.
“Ultimately, the government’s decision to enter into this Agreement is dictated by what it can prove in court and what it cannot,” the filing stated.
However, families of the victims do not believe that the plea agreement fully holds Boeing accountable and they have requested the federal judge overseeing the case to reject the deal.
“The government has the deepest respect for the victims and their passionate advocacy in this matter,” said the Justice Department. “Yet in the end, after years of investigation, the government has not found the one thing that underlines the families’ most passionate objections to the proposed resolution: evidence that could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Boeing’s fraud caused the deaths of their loved ones.”
Although the agreement is backed by the Department of Justice, the deal is still up in the air, as U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor will decide whether or not he will hold a hearing on the plea deal.
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