Boeing whistleblower's suicide: 'no one can believe it,' attorney says

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Mar 2024 00:08

The Whistleblower gave testimony that Boeing was minimalizing inspections to speed up production and cutting the cost of materials.

An Alaska Airlines aircraft sits in the airline's hangar at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in SeaTac, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

John Barnett, a former Boeing employee who raised concerns about production issues, was found dead in an apparent suicide in South Carolina.

Barnett, a 32-year Boeing veteran, had voiced issues about safety problems, notably with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. He was involved in a whistleblower retaliation case against Boeing at the time of his death.

The Charleston County coroner's office in South Carolina confirmed on Tuesday that the 62-year-old died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Charleston City police are currently investigating the incident, with no further details provided by the coroner's office.

Was Barnett murdered?

According to a statement from his attorneys, Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles, Barnett was in the midst of a deposition in an ongoing whistleblower retaliation case against Boeing.

"He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn't see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it," they said.

Barnett, who worked as a quality manager at Boeing, had "exposed very serious safety problems with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and was retaliated against and subjected to a hostile work environment," they added.

Crocodile tears

Boeing expressed sadness over Barnett's passing.

"We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends," the company said.

Barnett had spoken to media outlets about the incident on January 5 involving a Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane. During the flight, a panel blew out mid-air, leading to passengers being exposed to the outside air, necessitating an emergency landing.

Boeing has had to confront a severe crisis regarding its safety and quality standards. Its production has been constrained by US regulators, resulting in delivery delays throughout the aerospace industry.