The attorney for the Boeing whistleblower who was found dead in his truck on Saturday has cast doubt on the coroner's report that deemed the death a suicide, according to the Daily Mail.
Less than three months after publicly warning about safety concerns on the Boeing 737 and 787 Dreamliner, former company quality manager John Barnett, 62, was found dead in South Carolina.
Charleston Police confirmed that the department is investigating Barnett's death, which occurred while he was in the city for legal proceedings related to his lawsuit against Boeing for alleged retaliation over his disclosures.
After failing to appear on the third day of his deposition, Barnett was found dead in his truck in the hotel parking lot.
Barnett's lawyer, Brian Knowles, who is also representing another eight ex-Boeing employees turned whistleblowers, said Monday that his client died from an "alleged" self-inflicted gunshot wound.
"John had been back and forth for quite some time getting prepared," Knowles said in a statement obtained by the Mail. "The defense examined him for their allowed seven hours under the rules on Thursday. I cross examined him all day yesterday [Friday] and did not finish."
"We agreed to continue this morning at 10 a.m., he continued. "[Co-counsel] Rob [Turkewitz] kept calling this morning and his phone would go to voicemail. We then asked the hotel to check on him. They found him in his truck dead from an 'alleged' self-inflicted gunshot. We drove to the hotel and spoke with the police and the coroner."
Charleston Police have not revealed any evidence to suggest foul play was involved in Barnett's death.
As the news of Barnett's death broke on Monday, Boeing said in a statement that it was "saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing."
"Our thoughts are with his family and friends," the company statement added.
Barnett's lawsuit against Boeing alleged that company employees were being pressured to use "sub-standard" parts on Boeing 787 planes and that management was looking the other way to save money.
Barnett explained in January why he believed it was only a matter of time before there was an incident with one or both Boeing models.
"This is not a 737 problem — this is a Boeing problem," he said, according to the Mail, after being asked if he believed the 737 was safe to fly.
"I know the FAA is going in and done due diligence and inspections to ensure the door close on the 737 is installed properly and the fasteners are stored properly," he said, referring to aircraft parts that may have played a role in a recent incident.
"But, my concern is, 'What's the rest of the airplane? What's the condition of the rest of the airplane?' " he said.
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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