Judge Rejects Boeing's Fraud Plea Deal Over Monitor Selection Policy

A U.S. federal judge has dismissed Boeing's plea agreement due to a clause about diversity in selecting an independent monitor. The case stems from two fatal crashes of Boeing 737 MAX planes. Victims' families criticize the deal for not holding Boeing accountable adequately. Updates are expected in 30 days.

A federal judge in the United States has overturned Boeing's agreement to plead guilty to fraud following two fatal 737 MAX crashes, which claimed 346 lives. The judge found fault with a diversity and inclusion clause related to selecting an independent monitor for auditing Boeing's compliance practices.

Judge Reed C. O'Connor from the Northern District of Texas has given Boeing and the Justice Department 30 days to report back on how they plan to address this legal matter. As of now, neither Boeing nor the DOJ has provided a comment in response to this development.

Families of the victims have labeled the plea deal as a 'sweetheart' agreement that doesn't hold Boeing accountable for the tragic losses in Indonesia and Ethiopia. The judge's decision highlights concerns over using race as a criterion in hiring the compliance monitor, emphasizing the need for competency-based selection.

(With inputs from agencies.)