Judge Blocks Boeing's Plea Deal Over 737 Max Tragedies

A federal judge rejected Boeing's plea agreement over a felony conspiracy charge regarding misleading information about the 737 Max jetliner. The decision raises questions about the aerospace company's prosecution following crashes that killed 346 people. This move likely pleases victims' families seeking justice and accountability.

A federal judge on Thursday threw out a proposed plea agreement that would have allowed aviation giant Boeing to plead guilty to felony conspiracy for misleading U.S. regulators regarding the 737 Max aircraft. The planes' eventual crashes resulted in 346 deaths.

The verdict by U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor, located in Texas, injects new uncertainty into the potential criminal prosecution of Boeing regarding its best-selling plane's development. Enforcement agencies and Boeing may now seek to establish a revised plea deal.

The decision is expected to be welcomed by the families of crash victims, who have campaigned for an open trial and harsher repercussions for Boeing. The now-rejected deal would have acknowledged Boeing's culpability in deceiving regulators involved in vetting pilot training protocols for the plane, though it did not link these actions directly to the crashes.

(With inputs from agencies.)