Boeing Settles Lawsuit From Whistleblower's Family

The family of a former Boeing quality control manager who killed himself after lawyers questioned him about his whistleblowing on alleged jumbo jet defects has settled a lawsuit against the aircraft maker. Details of the settlement were not disclosed in a court filing this week. John Barnett, a longtime Boeing employee, shared his safety concerns with journalists after he retired in 2017, the AP reports. He said he once saw discarded metal shavings near wiring for the flight controls that could have cut the wiring and caused a catastrophe. He also noted problems with up to a quarter of the oxygen systems on Boeing's 787 planes

Barnett, 62, shot himself on March 9, 2024, in Charleston after answering questions from attorneys for several days. In a lawsuit, his family accused Boeing of launching a "campaign of harassment, abuse, and intimidation" against him. The document announcing the settlement and closing the case in federal court in South Carolina was one page and the only detail was that either side can reopen the lawsuit if the settlement is not finalized in 60 days. Boeing did not answer the lawsuit in court papers before the settlement. "We are saddened by John Barnett's death and extend our condolences to his family. Boeing took actions several years ago to review and address the issues that Mr. Barnett raised," the company said in a statement.

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