The Justice Department has defended a plea deal reached with Boeing over the fatal crashes of two 737 Max planes that claimed the lives of 346 individuals. In a court filing on Wednesday, the department stated that it lacks sufficient evidence to pursue more serious charges against the company.
The plea deal involves Boeing pleading guilty to a single felony charge of conspiracy to commit fraud for misleading regulators during the approval process of the 737 Max. As part of the agreement, Boeing has agreed to pay a fine of at least $243.6 million, allocate $455 million towards compliance and safety programs, and be placed on probation for three years.
The deputy chief of the Justice Department's criminal fraud section clarified that if the case proceeds to trial, prosecutors will not present evidence or testimony related to the causes of the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Additionally, no Boeing individuals will face criminal charges in connection with the incidents.
The court filing was made in response to objections raised by relatives of the crash victims, who have urged a federal judge in Texas to reject the settlement. The families argue that the agreed-upon sentence is too lenient given the tragic loss of lives in the two crashes.
