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The estate of a whistleblower who fought to expose crony capitalist aerospace giant Boeing has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court accusing the embattled corporation of creating a hostile work environment that led to his tragic suicide.
John Barnett, 62, of Pineville, Louisiana died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on March 9, 2024 in a parking lot of the Holiday Inn Riverview – located at 301 Savannah Highway just across the Ashley River from downtown Charleston. Not surprisingly, suspicions of foul play ran rampant given Barnett’s ongoing efforts to shed light on serious quality control problems at one of the largest, most powerful companies in the world. In fact, Barnett was in the middle of depositions tied to a whistleblower lawsuit at the time of his death.
The investigation into Barnett’s suicide was led by the Charleston Police Department (CPD) – whose investigators ultimately determined the death of the former quality control manager-turned-whistleblower “appears to result from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
In a statement (.pdf) provided in the days after CPD said its investigators “understand the global attention this case has garnered,” and that it was their top priority “to ensure that the investigation is not influenced by speculation but is led by facts and evidence.”
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RELATED | THE CASE AGAINST BOEING
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The lawsuit (.pdf) – filed by attorneys Robert Turkewitz, Brian Knowles and David Boies on behalf of Barnett’s siblings – claimed Boeing’s negligence, harassment, and retaliatory practices led to his wrongful death.
Barnett spent 28 years with Boeing at its Everett, Washington headquarters. In 2010, he was transferred to the company’s taxpayer-subsidized North Charleston, S.C. facility – which manufactures the much-maligned 787 Dreamliner. He retired from the company in 2017, and shortly thereafter began exposing shoddy workmanship at Boeing – especially at its Palmetto State location.
“I haven’t seen a plane out of Charleston yet that I would consider safe and airworthy,” Barnett told reporter Nadia Daly of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in January of 2020.
Last January, Barnett spoke out again about production defects on Boeing planes – specifically the 737 Max – and the company’s culture of silencing those who sought to put safety first.
“Once you understand what’s happening inside of Boeing, you’ll see why we’re seeing these kinds of issues,” he told Daly. “This is a Boeing issue, this is not a 737 issue.”
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“Their culture is all about speed and production,” Barnett added. “Any issues, any concerns that you bring up are going to slow them down.”
Barnett’s attempts to document defects and enforce safety protocols was met with severe retaliation – including harassment, humiliation and punitive reassignment, according to the complaint. For years, Barnett was allegedly subjected to a work environment in which Boeing management pressured him to disregard safety violations and conceal defects to meet production deadlines.
The lawsuit also detailed various retaliatory measures allegedly taken against Barnett, including the downgrading of his performance scores, blocking him from potential job transfers and forcing him into assignments that undermined his career progression. Barnett’s distress intensified after he reported safety concerns to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and filed a formal complaint under the AIR21 Whistleblower Protection Act in 2017.
According to the complaint, Boeing engaged in discovery abuse by refusing to produce critical documents related to Barnett’s claims, despite multiple court orders. His legal battle continued until March 9, 2024, when Barnett took his own life during the third day of his deposition in the AIR21 case.
Barnett left a suicide note expressing despair over his treatment by Boeing and his ongoing mental health struggles, which included Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and panic attacks. The complaint argues that Boeing’s retaliatory actions, refusal to properly address safety concerns, and interference with Barnett’s support system led to his mental health decline and subsequent death.
The filing included an excerpt from an email Barnett sent on February 28, 2021. According to the complaint, the email “provides insight into the pain Boeing’s actions were causing”…
“A person works hard all their life, trying to do the right thing, treating others with respect, just to have their entire professional life destroyed because they were doing as they were trained and expected to do…follow the rules. What is a person s outlook on life worth? And looking at the mental toll it has had on me. I suffer from anxiety attacks, depression, panic attacks, PTSD… I’ve got an anger inside me that I’ve never experienced before and I don’t understand how to control… How do you put a price on that?”
The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death and abuse of process, asserting that Boeing’s negligence and misconduct were foreseeable causes of Barnett’s psychological distress and ultimate death.
Boeing has yet to issue a formal response to the allegations.
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THE COMPLAINT…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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