Boeing 737 Max families demand justice in court hearing

A federal court in Texas heard arguments on the U.S. government’s motion to dismiss its criminal case against Boeing for the two 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people. The three‑hour hearing allowed relatives of the victims to speak and present their case. Some family members traveled from Europe and Africa to attend, demanding that the company be prosecuted for the crashes off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia. U.S. District Chief Judge Reed O’Connor set aside time for the relatives to address the court.

One of those relatives, Nadia Milleron, whose 24‑year‑old daughter was among the 157 passengers and crew killed in the Ethiopia crash, said her daughter died on a new airplane that was defective and in operation because of non‑compliance with regulations and fraud. Milleron emphasized that she does not want any other family to lose loved ones due to this kind of fraud.

Boeing is charged with conspiracy to defraud the government, a felony. Prosecutors allege the company deceived Federal Aviation Administration regulators about a flight‑control system that was later implicated in the fatal flights. The crashes occurred less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019. The judge said he will issue his decision on the dismissal motion at a later date.

The hearing comes more than four years after the Justice Department announced charges against Boeing and reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the aircraft maker. Prosecutors revived the charge last year after determining the company had violated certain terms of that agreement. Boeing had planned to plead guilty under a different deal, but the judge rejected that arrangement in December, citing concerns over diversity policies and the selection of an independent monitor.

In late May, the two sides struck a new deal that removes both the criminal charge and Boeing’s guilty plea from the table. In exchange, Boeing will pay or invest another $1.1 billion in fines, compensation for the crash victims’ families, and internal safety and quality measures. The Justice Department said it offered those terms because of significant changes Boeing has made to its quality‑control and anti‑fraud programs since last summer.

Some families of victims worry the pending agreement would allow Boeing to escape justice, while others support resolving the case before it reaches trial. The Justice Department has asked the judge to keep open the possibility of refiling the conspiracy charge if Boeing fails to meet its obligations over the next two years. The outcome will be closely watched, given its implications for the aviation industry and the accountability of companies involved in major disasters.