Family blames Boeing for whistleblower’s suicide in lawsuit alleging ‘intimidation’ by aerospace company

Boeing did its best to ‘discourage, discredit, and humiliate’ John Barnett, his family has alleged

The family of a Boeing whistleblower who died by suicide has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the aircraft manufacturer, alleging that the company subjected him to a “concerted campaign of harassment, abuse, and intimidation.”

Boeing did its best to “discourage, discredit, and humiliate” John Barnett, as he worked to document and remedy defects and uphold standards at the company, according to the suit, obtained by The Independent.

The 62-year-old quality control engineer, who had worked at Boeing for 32 years, was found dead at a South Carolina hotel in March 2024. A coroner later ruled that he died by suicide. At the time, he was testifying in a lawsuit against the aircraft manufacturer.

The lawsuit filed on Wednesday in South Carolina Supreme Court said Barnett had been “proud of his job and was initially proud of Boeing.”

Boeing has been accused of orchestrating a campaign of ‘intimidation and abuse’ against former employee John Barnett (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

“He took his role seriously in protecting the flying public, and he believed that he had a personal, legal, and moral obligation to ensure, to the best of his ability, that every possible defect was identified, documented, and remedied.

“When John tried to do his job, Boeing Management pressured him to not document defects or to not properly document the aircraft build record in order to avoid production delays.

“When John persisted, Management embarked on a concerted campaign of harassment, abuse, and intimidation intended to discourage, discredit, and humiliate him until he would either give up or be discredited.”

An autopsy report previously stated that a review of Barnett’s medical records and interviews with his family showed he was suffering from “chronic stress” brought on by the lawsuit, as well as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of his death.

In their lawsuit, his family claimed that in one instance in 2016, a senior manager had called Barnett 19 times within an eight-hour period, and then 21 times over the same period of time a few days later.

The manager allegedly told Barnett, “I’m going to push you until you break,” the lawsuit claimed.

The 62-year-old quality control engineer, who had worked at Boeing for 32 years, was found dead at a South Carolina hotel in March (Netflix)

“After leaving Boeing, John repeatedly tried to move on with his life. However, on March 9, 2024, the weight of years of harassment, abuse, and humiliation became too much for John to bear, and he took his own life… Boeing had threatened to break John and break him it did,” it stated.

The suit also included part of an email sent by Barnett in 2021 in which he said he was trying to figure out “what it would take to ‘make me whole again,’” and detailed some of his struggles with anxiety and depression as well as PTSD.

Excerpts from a note left by Barnett prior to his death, previously shared by Charleston police, were also included. “I pray Boeing pays,” the note said, though it added: “Family and friends, I love you… I found my purpose! I’m at peace!”

Wednesday’s filing claims for wrongful death, abuse of process and retaliation.

Barnett’s family are seeking damages for pecuniary loss, mental suffering and grief, as well as punitive damages and funeral and burial expenses, per the lawsuit. They have requested a jury trial.

In a statement shared with The Independent, a Boeing spokesperson said: “We are saddened by John Barnett’s death and extend our condolences to his family.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.