Boeing, Justice Department reach deal to avoid prosecution over deadly 737 Max crashes

The U.S. Justice Department said Friday that it has reached a deal with Boeing that will allow the aircraft maker to avoid prosecution over two crashes of its 737 Max planes that killed 346 people.

The U.S. Justice Department said Friday that it has reached a deal with Boeing that will allow the aircraft maker to avoid prosecution over two crashes of its 737 Max planes that killed 346 people.

The non-prosecution agreement would allow Boeing, a major military contractor and top U.S. exporter, to avoid being labeled a felon. The decision means Boeing won’t face trial as scheduled next month, as crash victims’ family members have urged for years.

The Department of Justice met with crash victims’ family members last week to discuss the potential deal.

Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Wash., on March 21, 2019.Lindsey Wasson / Reuters fileIn a court filing Friday the DOJ said it “is the Government’s judgment that the Agreement is a fair and just resolution that serves the public interest.”

The agreement “guarantees further accountability and substantial benefits from Boeing immediately, while avoiding the uncertainty and litigation risk presented by proceeding to trial.”