Judge Rejects Boeing's $243 Million Plea Deal over DEI Provisions in 737 Max Crash Case

Dec 5, 2024, 07:23 PM

A federal judge in Texas has rejected Boeing's $243 million plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice in a criminal conspiracy case stemming from two fatal 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people. Judge Reed C. O'Connor of the Northern District of Texas ruled that the agreement improperly limited the court's role and imposed inappropriate diversity considerations on the appointment of an independent monitor to oversee Boeing. The plea deal would have allowed Boeing to plead guilty to defrauding regulators who approved pilot training requirements for the 737 Max nearly a decade ago. The judge cited concerns over provisions requiring the monitor selection process to consider race and diversity, finding such requirements inappropriate.