District court ruling motivates change in procedures.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) updated its guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance this week after a legal ruling the week prior went against the department. Two separate Boeing 737 MAX aircraft crashes recently cost 346 people their lives and the Justice Department separately struck a legal deal with Boeing to close the case without their notification or input. Families of the deceased filed suit after learning that the $2.5 billion deal granted Boeing immunity from criminal prosecution for these crashes.
U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor decided in favor of the families of the deceased to legally define those killed in the crashes as “crime victims,” effectively removing Boeing’s immunity granted by the Justice Department. The new guidelines from the department require earlier notification and consultation of victims “of plea agreements, deferred prosecution agreements, and non-prosecution agreements before a charging document is filed.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For district court and appellate judges as they hear and rule on the cases before them.
- For officials in the Justice Department as they enhance the scope of their guidelines.
- For Attorney General Merrick Garland to lead the Justice Department with integrity and transparency.
Sources: AP, Reuters
