CHARLESTON, S.C. — The family of a former Boeing quality control manager, who tragically took his own life following extensive questioning by company lawyers about his efforts to highlight defects in jumbo jets, has filed a lawsuit against the aircraft manufacturer.
According to the wrongful death lawsuit submitted in federal court in South Carolina, John Barnett faced a “campaign of harassment, abuse, and intimidation” from Boeing, which was allegedly aimed at discouraging and discrediting him.
The 62-year-old Barnett shot himself on March 9, 2024, in Charleston after several days of interrogation by attorneys. He had been residing in Louisiana.
“Boeing had threatened to break John, and break him it did,” the family’s legal representation stated in court documents.
Boeing has yet to respond in court filings, but the company expressed condolences for Barnett’s death in a recent statement.
Barnett served as a quality-control manager at Boeing until his retirement in 2017. After leaving the company, he became a whistleblower, voicing concerns about potential safety hazards. He claimed to have witnessed hazardous metal shavings near flight control wiring, which could lead to catastrophic failures, and noted shortcomings in the oxygen systems of Boeing’s 787 aircraft.
Despite reporting these concerns to his supervisors, Barnett’s allegations were allegedly met with indifference and harassment, as outlined in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims that Boeing intentionally provided Barnett with misleading performance reviews and assigned him less favorable work shifts. This behavior, they argue, led to public blame for delays and halted his attempts to transfer to another plant.
Barnett was later diagnosed with PTSD, and his mental health reportedly worsened over time.
The lawsuit emphasizes that while Boeing may not have directly caused Barnett’s death, their conduct significantly contributed to his deteriorating mental state, ultimately increasing the risk of suicide.
The family is seeking damages for emotional distress, lost wages, health expenses, and additional compensation for Barnett’s lost life insurance benefits, although no specific amount has been disclosed.
