Federal Judge Rejects Boeing Plea Deal

A federal judge has rejected Boeing's plea agreement regarding the criminal charges arising from the fatal crashes of two 737 MAX8 jets that resulted in 346 deaths. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor criticized the agreement for its inclusion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) provisions in the selection of a corporate monitor, arguing that it undermines public confidence in the process. He also expressed concerns about the overall structure of the plea deal, stating it could limit the court's authority and was not in the public interest. The rejected deal would have allowed Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine while avoiding a potentially damaging trial. Families of crash victims have welcomed the judge's decision, calling for more stringent consequences for Boeing's actions. Boeing and the Justice Department may now need to negotiate a new plea agreement as uncertainty looms over the prosecution process.