Mike Specter
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. Justice Department officials told victims’ families at a meeting that it is unlikely that Boeing Co (NYSE: NYSE) executives will be charged for murders that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019 because the statute of limitations may have expired. Criminal charges were filed in the fatal crash.
A person familiar with Friday’s gathering confirmed the details and the letter was reviewed by Reuters.
The time limit for prosecuting most federal crimes is five years.
The Justice Department found in mid-May that Boeing violated a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) that shielded the company from criminal charges stemming from the fatal crashes.
Officials agreed to ask a judge to dismiss charges of conspiring to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) if Boeing complies with the terms of the agreement for a three-year period ending on January 7, 2024.
But an in-flight blowout two days before the agreement expired exposed ongoing safety and quality issues. On January 5, a panel of one of Alaska Airlines’ new Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets was blown off during a flight.
Boeing has until June 13 to outline any objections to the Commerce Department’s determination that it violated the 2021 agreement. The Justice Department has until July 7 to inform a federal judge in Texas of its plans.
Boeing said it believed it was “complying with the terms of the agreement” and looked forward to responding to the Justice Department.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The department is weighing several options, including whether to sue Boeing or extend the DPA for another year. Officials can also sign new Data Protection Agreements or enter into non-prosecution agreements that do not involve court supervision.
Officials may also seek a plea deal with Boeing over 2021 fraud charges or put the company on trial over it.
Prosecutors told the families of the victims that Boeing could also face charges for its actions during the three-year period of the DPA, although officials have not found evidence that any felonies were committed during that period, according to people familiar with the matter.
Sources told Reuters that the victims’ families were discussing asking officials to seek stiffer sentences if Boeing was indicted and convicted.
At the meeting, Justice Department officials said they did not believe they could prove beyond a reasonable doubt a federal manslaughter or fraud case involving the aircraft parts, the person added.
(This story has been refiled to correct grammar in paragraph 7 and to add the deleted word “the” in paragraph 12)
