The family of a deceased former employee who highlighted grave shortcomings at the aviation giant has filed a lawsuit in South Carolina.
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the troubled aircraft manufacturer Boeing by the family of John ‘Mitch’ Barnett, a former employee and whistleblower, who died by suicide in March 2024. The lawsuit, lodged yesterday (19 March) in the US District Court in Charleston, South Carolina, alleges that Boeing's actions contributed to Barnett’s suicide, following years of workplace harassment and retaliation.
Mr Barnett, aged 62 at the time of his death, was discovered in his truck outside a Charleston hotel, having suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A note found beside him accused Boeing's leadership of destroying his life and included the statement, "I pray Boeing pays."
The 146-page complaint presents Mr Barnett as a dedicated employee who prioritised aviation safety, often clashing with Boeing management over quality concerns. His family argues that the pressures of whistleblowing, coupled with the company’s alleged mistreatment of him, severely impacted his mental health, ultimately leading to the tragic decision to end his own life. "The weight of years of Boeing’s harassment, abuse and humiliation became too much for John to bear," the lawsuit claims, referencing a medical diagnosis confirming Mr Barnett suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, panic attacks...
Member of the group DJ DOC, Lee Ha-neul has announced a counter-suit against singer Jubi Train and the representative of his agency BASS Camp Studio. On the 21st, BASS Camp Studio issued an offici...