Mother condemns Boeing’s plea deal in 737 MAX crashes

Boeing strikes plea deal on fraud charge amid safety probes

A mother who lost her daughter in a 2019 plane crash is expressing outrage at a proposed plea deal that allows Boeing to avoid prosecution by paying a fine.

SEATTLE - A mother who lost her daughter in a 2019 plane crash is outraged at a proposed plea deal that allows Boeing to avoid prosecution by paying a fine.

Nadia Milleron lost her daughter, 24-year-old Samya Stumo, who was one of the 346 victims of the 2018 and 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crashes.

"I feel disgusted with the Department of Justice, they’re supposed to keep the public safe," Milleron said.

According to a DOJ court filing, Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. The deal stems from the crashes that resulted in the deaths of 346 people. Boeing will pay a $243 million fine, spend $455 million on compliance and safety programs, and agree to monitoring by federal inspectors.

Milleron, who is traveling to Texas to urge a federal judge to reject the plea deal, said, "The Department of Justice is not doing their job. They’re actually two of a kind with Boeing. Neither of them care about quality or justice."

Local attorney Mark Lindquist said Boeing’s guilty plea was inevitable.

"Boeing had to accept this deal; their choice was take the deal or go to trial. If Boeing goes to trial, all the company's negligence, all the misconduct, all the dirty laundry, would have been aired out in a highly public forum," said Lindquist. "Boeing wasn't going to let that happen."

Boeing confirmed to FOX 13 News it reached an ‘agreement in principle’ but has not disclosed details. The deal’s finalization depends on the approval of a federal judge, with a decision expected by the end of the month.

Both Lindquist and Milleron are particularly concerned about the independence of the federal monitor.

"Boeing actually gets to propose who the independent monitors should be. The DOJ has veto power," said Lindquist.

"You have to actually do everything possible to correct the behavior of the perpetrator and not allow Boeing to choose their monitor, because Boeing supervising themselves is what led to this whole mess in the first place," Milleron said.

Families of the victims, like Milleron, hoped the tragedies would prompt significant changes at Boeing. Instead, they continue to see safety lapses, including a recent incident where a door panel blew out midair on an Alaska Airlines flight.

Milleron urges the court to reject the deal to prevent further tragedies.

"Please save the next planeload of human beings," Milleron said. "We want their families to keep the smile on their faces."

"I personally would have preferred to see a much more vigorous prosecution by the Department of Justice," Lindquist said. "The DOJ has to balance accountability and justice with the fact that Boeing is important to our economy and our national security."

Lindquist emphasized the importance of victim families having their voices heard in this case. "Victim families want justice and accountability. They want assurances that this isn’t going to happen again," he said.

If the judge approves the deal, Boeing’s probation will begin and an independent monitor will be appointed. The company will be under probation for three years, and any violation could extend this period.

Milleron and other family members of 737 crash victims will continue to fight for justice, hoping their efforts will lead to lasting change in aviation safety.

"Until Boeing does reform its culture, until Boeing refocuses on quality over profits, the flying public is in danger," Linquist said.