“If something happens to me, it’s not suicide”: the opening words of a former Boeing employee who denounced the company

A person close to John Barnett, the former Boeing employee who was found dead this Monday after denouncing the use of substandard parts in the production of airplanes, He assured that the death of this 62-year-old man was not a suicide

Despite the circumstances surrounding his death.

The woman, identified as Jennifer, confirmed to the network ABC News that she was a friend of Barnett’s and had spoken to her about his feelings of insecurity after he had recently publicly criticized the company’s production standards. “I know he did not commit suicide. no way”The woman said.

Jennifer recalled a conversation with Barnett, where he hypothesized a possible scenario of her death presented as suicide and instructed her not to believe such a version. For more than three decades, Barnett served as a quality manager at Boeing, a company against which he recently filed a retaliation lawsuit after exposing unsafe practices. After his retirement, he moved to Louisiana to care for his mother.

“I know John because his mother and I are best friends.”Jennifer said. “Over the years, at meetings, birthdays and celebrations, we always got together to talk,” he said.

And accordingly ABC News, On one occasion when Jennifer needed help, Barnett visited her and they talked about the state of her relationship with Boeing after the complaint. “He wasn’t worried about his safety, because I asked him to be,” he said. “I said, ‘Aren’t you afraid?’ And he replied, ‘No, I’m not afraid, but if something happens to me, it’s not suicide.’

Jennifer added: “I know he didn’t commit suicide. There is no way. He loved life very much. He loved his family very much. “He loved his brothers too much to put them through what they are going through now.”

Barnett’s friend believes that someone “didn’t like what he had to say” and wanted to “shut him up” without holding anything against him. “That’s why they made it look like suicide,” he said. “I think everyone is in disbelief and can’t believe it,” he said. “I don’t care what they say, I know he didn’t do it.”

Despite Barnett’s death, his attorney confirmed that the case against Boeing will proceed, with a trial still scheduled for June. In response to the news of Barnett’s death, Boeing issued a statement expressing its grief and condolences to his loved ones.

Barnett worked for Boeing for 32 years until his retirement in 2017 and In the days before his death, he was testifying in a lawsuit against the company

According to BBC.

In 2019, Barnett went public and revealed that Boeing had accelerated production of its 787 Dreamliner planes, putting passenger safety at risk. According to him, the emergency oxygen systems designed for these planes had a 25 percent failure rate. At the time, the company denied his allegations. However, a review by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed some of the concerns raised by the former employee.

At the time of his death, Barnett was in Charleston to testify in the case against Boeing. He was questioned by Boeing’s lawyers and his own lawyers last week. He was due to appear again on Saturday to answer further questions, but did not attend the hearing. He was later found dead in his truck in the parking lot of the hotel where he was staying, according to what he told police. BBC Charleston County Coroner.

His death comes as Boeing is under scrutiny by US authorities for the manufacturing process of the 737-9 (MAX) aircraft model, following an incident in January in which a panel fell off.

(with information from EFE)