by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:30 AM ET, Fri January 20, 2023
A Texas federal judge announced Thursday that airplane manufacturer Boeing would be forced to appear in court on January 26 to face federal criminal charges related to the deaths of the 346 people killed in two MAX 737 plane crashes in 2018 and 2019.
U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor of the Northern District of Texas declared a $2.5 billion settlement between Boeing and the United States Department of Justice in 2021 was improperly brokered since the victims' families were not involved in the negotiations.
As part of the Crime Victims' Rights Act, Boeing is now being forced to appear in court for an arraignment on fraud charges related to the company's failure to report the flawed design of the MAX aircraft.
Former federal judge Paul G. Cassell is representing the victims' families.
"The families appreciate the judge's ruling that Boeing will be treated like every other defendant in federal criminal cases and arraigned," Cassell said. "Some family members are making plans to travel to Texas next week to address the company criminally responsible for the deaths of their loved ones."
In January 2021, Boeing won immunity from criminal prosecution as part of the settlement with the Department of Justice, which included "$500 million in victim compensation, a $243.6 million fine and $1.7 billion in compensation to airlines," according to Reuters.com.
In the filing, the Justice Department said, "misleading statements, half-truths, and omissions communicated by Boeing employees to the FAA impeded the government's ability to ensure the safety of the flying public."
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