Judge Rejects Boeing Plea Deal Over Fatal 737 Max Crashes

The court cited concerns over diversity provisions and lack of judicial oversight in the proposed agreement following two deadly crashes that killed 346 people.

U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor rejected a plea deal between Boeing and the Department of Justice, citing issues with diversity considerations in the selection of an independent compliance monitor.
The plea agreement would have allowed Boeing to plead guilty to fraud, pay a $243.6 million fine, and undergo three years of probation with a monitor overseeing its compliance and safety practices.
The judge expressed concerns that the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) provisions undermined public confidence in the monitor selection process, emphasizing the need for competency-based choices.
Victims' families, who had criticized the deal as a 'sweetheart agreement,' welcomed the decision and called for stronger accountability measures and a public trial.
Boeing and the DOJ now have 30 days to renegotiate the plea deal or decide on next steps, potentially including a trial.