John Barnett,62, a whistleblower entangled in a legal battle against Boeing, was found deceased last week under circumstances that have led to speculation about the cause of his death. His body was discovered on Saturday in Charleston, South Carolina, in his truck parked outside a hotel. Investigators said Barnett was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, possibly pointing it as the cause of death. At this stage, the involvement of foul play remains unclear, with police continuing their investigation.
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Brian Knowles, Barnett’s lawyer, described his client’s death as “tragic” and raised questions about the reported cause, referring to the gunshot wound as “alleged.” The situation gains additional complexity given Barnett’s active role in a whistleblower lawsuit against his former employer, Boeing, where he had worked for 32 years. He accused the aerospace giant of retaliatory practices after expressing concerns about compromised safety standards in their plane assembly processes.
According to TMZ, Barnett’s grievances with Boeing were not new; he had been vocal about his concerns for an extended period. He even appeared on “TMZ Live” to discuss recent problems with Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft, including an incident in January when a door was blown off mid-flight, endangering the lives of passengers as the plane struggled to make an emergency landing.
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A former quality manager at Boeing, Barnett expressed little surprise at the incident, claiming to have witnessed the company’s disregard for safety concerns over the years. He specifically criticized the swift approval for the 737 Max aircraft to resume flights following the Alaska Airlines incident, suggesting it posed a safety risk.
Barnett’s death came amidst ongoing depositions in his lawsuit against Boeing, with the company expressing sorrow over his passing.
“We are saddened by Mr Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”