The family of John Barnett, a former Boeing employee who tragically took his own life, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the aviation giant.
Barnett, 62, was found dead in his truck outside a Holiday Inn in Charleston, South Carolina, in March 2024.
He had been due to testify in a legal battle against Boeing, a company he had worked for over three decades.
In his suicide note, Barnett expressed his frustration with Boeing, writing “f**k Boeing.”
Accusations of Harassment and Intimidation
Barnett’s family claims that Boeing’s treatment of him led to his untimely death.
They accuse the company of harassing and intimidating Barnett after he raised serious concerns about safety practices at Boeing.
According to the lawsuit, Barnett suffered years of mistreatment, which ultimately became unbearable.
It is stated in the suit that “the weight of years of harassment, abuse and humiliation became too much for John to bear, and he took his own life.”
Barnett had worked as a quality manager for Boeing for 32 years before retiring in 2017.
After his retirement, he went public with accusations about Boeing’s operations.
In 2019, he revealed that employees under pressure were intentionally installing substandard parts on aircraft assembly lines.
His complaints were part of a broader effort to highlight what he believed was a deeply ingrained culture of safety neglect at the company.
Struggling with Mental Health
The lawsuit also details Barnett’s mental health struggles, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, which were directly linked to the treatment he endured at Boeing.
Barnett’s family claims that Boeing’s actions caused his mental distress, which ultimately led to his tragic decision to end his life.
His managers, they say, isolated him, bullied him, and even threatened to “push you until you break.”
His family argues that while Boeing may not have physically caused his death, their behavior clearly contributed to it.
Legal Action and Family’s Request for Compensation
Barnett’s family is now seeking justice. They are asking for compensation, back pay, lost future wages, and benefits that Barnett would have received had he not been driven to such an extreme act.
Additionally, they are pursuing a sum for emotional distress and legal fees.
Boeing has yet to make any specific comments on the lawsuit but has previously insisted that it did not retaliate against Barnett.
The company maintains that any issues raised by Barnett were addressed and that employees are encouraged to report concerns.
Barnett’s Last Words and Legal Struggles
In his suicide note, Barnett also expressed bitterness towards Boeing’s whistleblower protection program, saying “I pray Boeing pays.”
Before his death, Barnett had driven from his home in Louisiana to Charleston, where he had already begun giving a deposition in his lawsuit against Boeing.
He was scheduled to continue his testimony the morning he died.
Barnett had claimed that he raised concerns about Boeing’s “deep-rooted and persistent culture of concealment” on several occasions but was met with resistance.
He alleged that his complaints were ignored, and in retaliation, he was given poor performance reviews, isolated, and was even forbidden from transferring out of South Carolina.
Before raising these issues, Barnett had been considered a “top performer” at the Boeing plant in North Charleston.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988.