Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was found dead in his truck after missing a deposition in his lawsuit against the aerospace giant. His mother, Vicky Stokes, believes that Boeing is partially to blame for his apparent suicide, as he had been suing the company for retaliation, harassment, and spying. Barnett’s brother, Rodney, described him as someone who would not back down and continued to voice his concerns at work despite the hostile environment. The coroner’s preliminary assessment that his death was a suicide has raised concerns among his family and lawyers, who are calling for a full investigation.
Barnett’s lawyer, Robert Turkewitz, stated that he does not believe Boeing played a role in his client’s death but finds it hard to believe that Barnett would take his own life. Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding his death and are awaiting the formal cause of death. A friend of Barnett’s claimed he had told her, “If anything happens to me, it’s not suicide.” Boeing has faced safety concerns about its 737 Max airplanes recently, with CEO Dave Calhoun announcing his departure at the end of the year along with other executives and board members leaving the company amidst the fallout.
Barnett worked for Boeing for over three decades before retiring in 2017 as a quality-control engineer. In 2019, he claimed that Boeing rushed to get its 787 Dreamliner jets off the production line, compromising safety. He alleged that the emergency oxygen systems on the jets had a failure rate of 25%, putting passengers at risk in the event of sudden cabin decompression. Despite raising these issues with management, Barnett faced retaliation and a hostile work environment, leading to his lawsuit against Boeing. The Federal Aviation Administration corroborated some of Barnett’s allegations during a review in 2017 and ordered Boeing to take action.
Boeing expressed sadness over Barnett’s passing and offered condolences to his family and friends. Barnett’s concerns about safety and quality control at Boeing highlight the importance of addressing such issues in the aerospace industry. His death has sparked calls for a full investigation, as his family and lawyers continue to seek answers surrounding his apparent suicide. The ongoing investigation into Barnett’s death, along with the safety concerns raised about Boeing’s airplanes, underscores the need for accountability and transparency in the aerospace industry to prevent tragic incidents like this from happening in the future. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for support.
