Exclusive-U.S. Justice Department to meet Boeing fatal crash victims' lawyers

Reuters ^ | Thu, Apr 4, 2024, 2:54 PM CDT | Mike Spector, Chris Prentice and David Shepardson

[Zhang Fei]

(Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department next week will meet with lawyers for families of victims of two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, as the government decides whether to move ahead with a criminal case, according to correspondence Reuters reviewed.

The meeting, set for Tuesday afternoon, comes ahead of an April 24 gathering scheduled for the victims' families themselves to confer with Justice Department officials.

"As we have ... done previously, we think it would be productive to hold a lawyers-only meeting approximately two weeks before the conferral," said Glenn Leon, the Justice Department's fraud section chief, in an email to lawyers for victims' families Reuters reviewed.

Boeing declined to comment. A Justice Department spokesperson had no immediate comment.

Boeing won immunity from criminal prosecution over the fatal 737 MAX crashes as part of an agreement reached with the Justice Department in January 2021 that involved the company paying $2.5 billion to resolve a fraud conspiracy charge related to the plane's flawed design. Boeing had to abide by the terms of the agreement for a three-year period that ended on Jan. 7.

[Zhang Fei]

Would be funny if Biden gave the DOJ permission to dismantle Boeing in order to burnish his credentials with progressives. Yet another this man cannot be allowed a second term.

[Wuli]

The largest U.S. aircraft manufacturer and Biden wants to see if he can destroy it or take it over in the name of “saving it”.

Boeing has problems right now for sure. Biden’s DOJ getting in the act will make for no improvement.

[PghBaldy]

I think the two crashes were overseas. The Biden Junta should not be involved.

[DownInFlames]

If the crashes were overseas run by non US carriers, isnt this outside US jurisdiction?

[ridesthemiles]

ONCE ANY PLANE LEAVES BOEING & IS IN THE HANDS OF AN AIRLINE-—the AIRLINE is who must maintain it.

[Wuli]

“ONCE ANY PLANE LEAVES BOEING & IS IN THE HANDS OF AN AIRLINE-—the AIRLINE is who must maintain it.”

There seems to be some questions with some models about whether it is a mere maitenance issue or a design/manufacturing issue. The perception is that Boeing is losing quality control at their plants and their subcontractors plants.