US formally moves to dismiss prosecution against Boeing and asks judge to cancel trial over crashes
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department has formally moved to dismiss a criminal fraud charge against Boeing and has asked a judge to cancel an upcoming trial connected to two plane crashes that killed 346 people off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia, according to court documents filed Thursday.
The deal, announced last week, will allow the American aircraft manufacturer to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before the planes crashed less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019.
The 'agreement in principle' will require the company to pay and invest more than $1.1 billion, including an additional $445 million for the crash victims' families, in return for dismissing the criminal case, according to court documents. Dismissing the fraud charge will allow the manufacturer to avoid a possible criminal conviction that could have jeopardized the company's status as a federal contractor, experts have said.
U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, will decide whether to accept the motion to dismiss, accept the terms of the non-prosecution agreement and whether to cancel the trial. O'Connor on Thursday ordered all the lawyers to present him with a briefing schedule on the government's motion by June 4.
Some relatives of the passengers who died in the crashes have been pushing for a public trial, the prosecution of former company officials, and more severe financial punishment for Boeing. The Justice Department has noted that the victims' families had mixed views on the proposed deal.
Nadia Milleron, a Massachusetts resident whose 24-year-old daughter, Samya Stumo, died in the Ethiopia crash, in an email Thursday said it hurt her to read the Justice Department's 'false' statement that the agreement will secure meaningful accountability, deliver public benefits and bring finality to a complex case whose outcome would otherwise be uncertain.
'This is not a difficult or complex case because Boeing signed a confession,' Milleron said. 'There will be no accountability as a result of the NPA (non-prosecution deal).'
Boeing said in a statement that the company is committed to complying with its obligations under the resolution, including commitments to further institutional improvements and investments, as well as additional compensation for families of those who died in the two plane crashes.
'We are deeply sorry for their losses, and remain committed to honoring their loved ones' memories by pressing forward with the broad and deep changes to our company that we have made to strengthen our safety system and culture,' a Boeing spokesperson said in the statement.
Attorney Mark Lindquist, who represents dozens of the victims' families said in a statement Thursday that although he had wanted to see a more vigorous prosecution, he didn't think it was going to happen.
'At this point, I can only hope the criminal case and the lawsuits motivated Boeing to improve safety,' Lindquist said. 'That's what really matters. We all want to walk onto a Boeing plane and feel safe.'
Boeing was accused of misleading the Federal Aviation Administration about aspects of the Max before the agency certified the plane for flight. Boeing did not tell airlines and pilots about a new software system that could turn the plane's nose down without input from pilots if a sensor detected that the plane might go into an aerodynamic stall.
The Max planes crashed after a faulty reading from the sensor pushed the nose down and pilots were unable to regain control. After the second crash, Max jets were grounded until the company redesigned the software.
The Justice Department charged Boeing in 2021 with deceiving FAA regulators about the software and about how much training pilots would need to fly the plane safely. The department agreed not to prosecute Boeing at the time, however, if the company paid a $2.5 billion settlement, including the $243.6 million fine, and took steps to comply with anti-fraud laws for three years.
But last year, federal prosecutors said Boeing violated the terms of the 2021 agreement by failing to make promised changes to detect and prevent violations of federal anti-fraud laws. Boeing agreed last July to plead guilty to the felony fraud charge instead of enduring what could have been a lengthy public trial.
Then in December, O'Connor rejected the plea deal. The judge said the diversity, inclusion and equity, or DEI, policies in the government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in picking a monitor to oversee Boeing's compliance with the agreement.
Under the new agreement, Boeing must retain an 'independent compliance consultant' who will make recommendations for 'further improvement' and report back to the government, court documents said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Death toll from quarry collapse in Indonesia rises to 14
CIREBON, Indonesia (AP) — At least 14 people were killed after a quarry collapsed the previous day in Indonesia's West Java province, officials said Saturday. More than two dozen people were trapped in the rubble when the Gunung Kuda quarry in Cirebon district collapsed on Friday . Rescuers pulled a dozen injured people and 10 bodies from the debris during a grueling search effort. They retrieved three more bodies late Friday, and another worker died in hospital, bringing the death toll to 14, said the National Search and Rescue Agency in a statement. Five people have been hospitalized with serious injuries. Local television reports showed emergency personnel, along with police, soldiers and volunteers digging desperately in the quarry in a steep limestone cliff, supported by five excavators, early Saturday. Authorities said six to eight people are still believed to be trapped. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation, and police have been questioning six people including the owner of the quarry, said local police chief Sumarni. West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi said in a video statement on Instagram that he visited the quarry before he was elected in February and considered it dangerous. 'It did not meet the safety standard elements for its workers,' Mulyadi said, adding that at that time, 'I didn't have any capacity to stop it.' On Friday, Mulyadi said that he had ordered the quarry shut, as well as four other similar sites in West Java. Illegal or informal resource extraction operations are common in Indonesia, providing a tenuous livelihood to those who labor in conditions with a high risk of injury or death. Landslides, flooding and tunnel collapses are just some of the hazards associated with them. Much of the processing of sand, rocks or gold ore also involves the use of highly toxic mercury and cyanide by workers using little or no protection. Last year, a landslide triggered by torrential rains struck an unauthorized gold mining operation on Indonesia's Sumatra island, killing at least 15 people. ___ Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
an hour ago
Hegseth reassures allies that US will support them against Chinese aggression
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed in a speech in Singapore on Saturday that the United States will continue to support U.S allies in the Indo-Pacific region against Chinese aggression as he warned that Chinese military action against Taiwan could be "imminent." Hegseth made his remarks in a speech at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, which is organized by the International Institute for Security Studies and is a high-profile gathering of regional and international security leaders. His remarks laid out how the Trump administration sees the Indo-Pacific region as a "priority theater" and how the U.S. is prepared to stand by allies in a region where China continues to carry out aggressive military actions, particularly against Taiwan and the Philippines. "We do not seek conflict with Communist China. We will not instigate nor seek to subjugate or humiliate," Hegseth said. "President Trump and the American people have immense respect for the Chinese people and their civilization, but we will not be pushed out of this critical region. And we will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated." In recent years China has invested heavily in building up its military and increased its naval and air presence around Taiwan, engaging in almost daily harassment of Taiwan's borders -- raising concerns that it is preparing to retake by force the island nation it considers a breakaway province. "Nobody knows what China will ultimately do," said Hegseth. "But they are preparing and we must, therefore, be ready as well. Urgency and vigilance is our only option." "We are preparing for war, to deter war — to achieve peace through strength," Hegseth added. "And we look to you — our allies and partners — to join us in this important work. Our time is now. The threats we face will not wait. Nor can we." "To be clear: any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world," said Hegseth who stressed that China may be ready to act sooner than the 2027 deadline that China's President Xi Jinping had set for China's military to be prepared for possible action against Taiwan. "There is no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent -- we hope not, but it certainly could be," said Hegseth. China has also increased tensions with the Philippines where Chinese military vessels regularly harass Philippine ships operating in the international waters of the South China Sea as it continues to assert its territorial claims in the region. Relations between the U.S. and China have also soured following Trump's announcement of steep tariffs on Chinese imports that led China to announce reciprocal tariffs. Both sides have since entered into a shaky temporary agreement to lower their tariffs. In his remarks, Hegseth said the Trump administration was pursuing a "common sense" approach to reestablishing deterrence that includes increasing the U.S. military presence in the western Pacific, "helping allies and partners strengthen their defense capabilities, and by rebuilding our defense industrial bases." Hegseth encouraged Asian countries to follow the example of NATO nations that have made commitments to increase their military spending to 5% of their gross domestic product as the Trump administration has stated that it wants them to take more ownership of their security commitments in Europe. "President Trump and I will be counting on you in this room -- our allies and partners -- to be force multipliers of peace alongside the United States," Hegseth said. "We ask — and indeed, we insist — that our allies and partners do their part on defense." He added, "Sometimes, this means having uncomfortable and tough conversations. Partners owe to it to each other to be honest and realistic. This is the essence of a pragmatic, common-sense foreign policy." Hegseth emphasized that the administration's approach does not mean that America's allies will have to go it alone in potential military actions. "You will also see that we are -- and will remain -- loyal to our allies and partners. In fact, the only way to ensure lasting alliances and partnerships is to make sure each side does its part," he said. Hegseth added, "We will stand with you and beside you to deter Chinese aggression," said Hegseth. The forum is sometimes an opportunity for high-level meetings between top U.S. and Chinese defense leaders during times of rising tension. But in an apparent snub, China's defense minister did not attend this year's forum and instead China was represented by a delegation from its National Defense University. "We can't account for whether or not China is here or not, but we're glad we are, and we think it makes the region more stable and more peaceful," Hegseth told reporters when asked to comment on China's decision. China's rising aggression in the region has been a major topic of the conference that included an opening address by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been touring of Southeast Asian nations to stress France's role in the region. On Friday night, Hegseth sat in the audience as Macron stressed the importance of a new alliance between European and Asian nations to avoid becoming "collateral victims of decisions made by superpowers" -- a reference to the United States and China. Macron cautioned against a loss of credibility for the international-rules based order if it is applied differently by the U.S. with regard to China while it attempts to resolve the war in Ukraine by allowing Russia to keep seized Ukrainian territory as the Trump administration has proposed. "If we consider that Russia could be allowed to take a part of the territory of Ukraine without any restriction, without any constraint, without any reaction of the global order, how would you phrase what could happen in Taiwan?" Macron said. "What would you do the day something happens in the Philippines?"
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Hegseth warns Asia allies that China threat is ‘imminent'
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a stark warning to Asian allies on Saturday, portraying the threat China poses to the region as 'real, and it could be imminent.' In his first speech to the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth was blunt about Washington's view of the Chinese military buildup in the region and the threat it poses to Taiwan, calling on allies to spend more on defense while pledging continued American partnership and support. 'There's no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,' Hegseth said. Any Chinese military move on Taiwan 'would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,' he added. The secretary's comments were delivered in front of a packed room of Asian diplomats, military officials and business leaders, who heard the most fulsome comments on the threat of China delivered by any member of the Trump administration to date. It comes after President Donald Trump delivered a speech in Saudi Arabia this month outlining his vision of a reduced American military footprint around the world, while pushing allies to invest more heavily in their own security. Vice President JD Vance followed that up with a speech emphasizing the vision of a United States that will no longer attempt to impose democracy and democratic values on other countries, but seek economic and military partnerships that offer value to both sides. While Hegseth pledged American support for allies in the region, he built upon that theme by telling allies they weren't spending enough on their own defense at a time when the U.S. is increasingly looking inward, moving troops and equipment to its southern border with Mexico instead of new deployments overseas. 'Credible deterrence starts at home. It starts at our borders,' he said. 'We have put troops on the Southwest border and are driving towards 100 percent operational control there.' The stop in Singapore marked the secretary's second trip to the region since his January swearing-in. It followed a trip to NATO headquarters in Europe where he admonished allies for not spending enough on defense, a criticism he imported to Singapore. 'It's hard to believe, a little bit, after some trips to Europe, that I'm saying this, but thanks to President Trump, Asian allies should look to countries in Europe as a new found example,' Hegseth said. The NATO goal of spending at least 2 percent of GDP on defense has been updated by the Trump team to a whopping 5 percent, a goal that will be extremely difficult for most allies to achieve, including the United States, which spends about 3.5 percent on defense. Hegseth brought that message of more spending with him to Asia, telling the audience that 'we ask, and indeed we insist, that our allies and partners do their part on defense. Sometimes that means having uncomfortable and tough conversations.' On the spending issue, Hegseth remained frank. 'It doesn't make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies in Asia spend less on defense in the face of an even more formidable threat, not to mention North Korea,' he said. That message will rankle some allies in the region, as Australia is spending billions on a partnership with the U.S. and U.K. to build a new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, and Japan and South Korea have invested heavily in their own militaries in recent years. South Korea has emerged as a defense-industrial powerhouse, selling artillery and air defense systems across Europe. Hegseth also suggested that European nations should focus their efforts on securing European territory, allowing the U.S. to focus more on the Indo-Pacific. 'We're pushing our allies in Europe to own more of their security — to invest in their own defense ... Thanks to President Trump, they are stepping up,' Hegseth said.
