John Barnett, a former quality manager at Boeing, recently passed away. His mother firmly believes that the aircraft manufacturing giant is to blame for the harsh treatment he endured, which ultimately led to his despair.
Vicky Stokes expressed her sorrow over the tragic loss of her son and reflected on the prolonged nature of the situation. She acknowledged that if the issue had not persisted for so long, her son would still be alive, and her other sons would have their brother. When asked about Boeing’s responsibility in this matter, she admitted that she does hold them partially accountable.
On March 9, at the age of 62, Barnett was discovered deceased in his car at a hotel parking lot in Charleston, South Carolina. He had been in the city to provide testimony in his whistleblower case against the troubled aerospace company.
The police are currently conducting an investigation into his death, which the coroner has deemed an apparent suicide. This tragic event occurred just before he was scheduled to resume providing deposition testimony against Boeing. He had accused the company of continuously disregarding safety concerns.
Stokes and her son Rodney Barnett have chosen not to comment on their belief regarding John Barnett’s cause of death until the Charleston police department completes its investigation. In their first television interview with CBS News, they expressed their desire to uphold John Barnett’s legacy as a champion for the safety of the flying public.
According to Rodney Barnett, the brother of the person in question, he believed that he was doing what he believed to be the right thing. It was particularly distressing to him that nobody seemed willing to listen and understand the situation that was unfolding.
John Barnett spent 32 years working at Boeing, with the final seven years dedicated to his role as a quality manager. It was during his time at the South Carolina factory, responsible for manufacturing the 787 Dreamliner, that he made the courageous decision to become a whistleblower. In 2017, citing the overwhelming stress associated with his job, Barnett chose to resign from the company.
During his time at the company, he began to have concerns about the company’s operations. Prior to his resignation, he took the step of filing an administrative complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. However, the agency found no reasonable cause to believe that Boeing had violated whistleblower laws. Undeterred, he proceeded to file a lawsuit in 2021, where he detailed a range of safety concerns. These included instances of titanium shavings accidentally falling into electrical wiring, faulty oxygen tanks, and managers pushing him to take shortcuts.
According to Rodney Barnett, his brother informed him that instead of addressing his concerns, the company retaliated against him for speaking up. He claimed that his brother was “humiliated during meetings; he would be singled out.” Rodney stated that his brother was not the kind of person to back down.
In the Netflix documentary “Downfall: The Case Against Boeing” released in 2022, John Barnett alleges that his managers took retaliatory measures against him after he voiced his concerns.
In the film, he expressed his frustration with Boeing’s lack of responsiveness to its employees. Whenever he raised concerns or highlighted issues, he felt that the company would dismiss him and overlook the actual problems at hand.
Boeing has acknowledged that it thoroughly examined and resolved the quality concerns raised by John Barnett prior to his retirement in 2017. In response to his passing, the company expressed their condolences, stating, “We are deeply saddened by Mr. Barnett’s loss, and our sympathies go out to his loved ones.”
In the midst of ongoing litigation, his untimely demise coincided with a period of intense scrutiny for Boeing. The company had been facing a barrage of negative publicity regarding its safety practices, particularly in relation to the recurring issues plaguing its 737 Max aircraft. These problems even led to a door plug blowing out midflight on an Alaska Airlines plane.
John Barnett, as described by his attorneys Brian Knowles and Rob Turkewitz, operated on a different level but expressed similar concerns.
According to Turkewitz, he believes that the intention of the whistleblower was not to harm Boeing, but rather to protect and save the company. Turkewitz emphasized the need for stronger whistleblower laws that apply to aerospace workers. He explained that the whistleblower had foreseen the consequences that would befall Boeing and acted with the intention of preventing it.
Turkewitz urged Congress to bring about a reform in the whistleblower law in order to facilitate a quicker resolution of the whistleblower complaints by Boeing employees. He mentioned that John Barnett’s prolonged battle with his case had a significant impact on him. In the final days leading up to his death, Barnett underwent a deposition by Boeing’s lawyers, which, according to Turkewitz, compelled him to relive distressing memories.
Turkewitz explained that the situation was taking a toll on him, and he believed that everything was resurfacing in his mind.
According to CBS News, John Barnett’s family is determined to proceed with his whistleblower case, which is scheduled to go to trial in September. They believe that pursuing the case is crucial for the sake of justice and holding individuals accountable.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has recently revealed his decision to step down by the end of 2024, amidst the ongoing image and safety crisis.
If you or someone you know is going through emotional distress or experiencing thoughts of suicide, you can get help by reaching out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You have the option to call or text 988 for immediate assistance. Additionally, you can also engage in a chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for support.
