(Bloomberg) -- A federal judge in Texas ordered a hearing in October for the US Department of Justice to defend its criminal plea agreement with Boeing Co. over two fatal 737 Max plan crashes — a deal opposed by families of the victims.
US District Judge Reed O’Connor on Friday ordered the parties to present arguments on the proposed deal in court on Oct. 11, after which he will decide whether to approve the settlement.
Boeing agreed this year to plead guilty to criminal conspiracy in connection with crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people, and to spend at least $455 million to bolster its compliance and safety programs. Boeing also faces a fine of at least $243.6 million, matching the amount it paid under a 2021 deferred-prosecution agreement that prosectors later determined had been violated.
Families of the victims have argued the company should face larger financial penalties and heightened scrutiny from an independent monitor, which Boeing has agreed to for a three-year period.
The case is US v. Boeing, 21-cr-005, US District Court, Northern District of Texas (Fort Worth).
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
