Boeing denies misleading regulators in Max Jet case

Two years ago, Boeing reached a controversial deferred prosecution agreement with the US government that gave the company immunity.

Mike Delaney, Boeing’s Chief Safety Officer, entered the pleading on Thursday on behalf of the company, telling US District Judge Reed O’Connor that Boeing stands by its guilty plea expressed in its agreement with the Justice Department, albeit it contest the suspense of the offence.

The indictment was a hard-fought victory for families of those who died in the 737 Max crashes, who have spent the past year fighting to get the deferred prosecution agreement lifted and to make their voices heard.

Lawyers for the families argue they were caught unawares by the 2021 deal and were not consulted on its terms.

Judge O’Connor sided with the relatives in October, declaring them legal victims of crime and saying they should have attended talks with federal prosecutors about the deal.

The families of 10 crash victims are scheduled to speak later in the hearing when asked to tell the court about the acute emotional and financial hardship they have endured as a result of Boeing’s conduct.

The 2021 agreement sparked an investigation into Boeing’s role in crashes that killed 346 people and prompted the company to admit conduct that would support a charge of conspiracy to defraud the US.

The government also fined Boeing $243.6 million and placed it under Justice Department oversight for three years.

In a Wednesday court filing, the victims’ families asked Judge O’Connor to appoint an observer to oversee Boeing’s compliance with the agreement and ensure that Justice Department reports are shared openly with the public.

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