Scott Olson/Getty Images News A federal judge on Thursday ordered Boeing (NYSE:BA) to be in court next week over two deadly crashes of its 737 Max jets. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that an executive from the plane maker to appear in court on January 26 to hear a felony charge after families of those killed in the crashes objected to a 2021 plea deal. Boeing (BA) won immunity from criminal prosecution as part of a $2.5 billion deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department in 2021. The agency instead charge the company with fraud conspiracy in connection with the 737 Max’s alleged design flows. O’Connor ruled in October that people killed in the crashes can be considered victims of a crime. Family members urged the judge to require Boeing (BA) to be legally arraigned on the felony charge.
