Boeing 737 MAX Crash Families Urge U.S. Judge to Reject Plea Deal, Seek Higher Fine

Families for some of the 346 people killed in two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes said on Wednesday a U.S. judge should reject the planemaker's proposed plea deal with the Justice Department and said the government should seek a much higher fine. The families said in a court filing that Boeing's proposed $243.6 million fine and compensation to victims' families was "grossly inadequate" and the "product of a corrupt and unlawful process" between the company and the Justice Department.

"This Court should reject the proposed settlement as fundamentally flawed and order the parties to renegotiate a more just and appropriate resolution of this matter," the families said. The families also said the Justice Department should seek a fine "commensurate with the gravity of Boeing's criminal conduct," including the company's alleged efforts to mislead regulators about the safety of the 737 MAX.

"Boeing's conduct was egregious, and its efforts to cover up its wrongdoing were relentless," the families said. "The proposed settlement does not reflect the seriousness of Boeing's crimes or provide adequate deterrence to other corporations." The Justice Department reached a deal with Boeing earlier this month to resolve a criminal charge that the company conspired to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration. Under the proposed deal, Boeing would pay a $243.6 million fine and establish a $500 million fund to compensate the families of victims. The company would also be on probation for three years and agree to cooperate with any ongoing investigations.

The families said the proposed fine was "a mere fraction of the profits Boeing reaped from the 737 MAX" and was "insufficient to deter future misconduct." They also criticized the proposed compensation fund, saying it "fails to provide for full and fair compensation to the families of those who lost their lives." The families urged the judge to reject the proposed deal and order the parties to renegotiate a more just resolution. "This Court has the power and the duty to ensure that Boeing is held fully accountable for its criminal conduct," the families said. "Anything less would be a miscarriage of justice."