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CNN
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A former longtime Boeing worker who had raised critical considerations concerning the firm’s manufacturing requirements was discovered useless in Charleston, South Carolina, over the weekend, in accordance with the Charleston County Coroner’s Workplace.
A information launch from the Charleston County Coroner’s Workplace stated John Barnett, 62, died on March 9, from “what seems to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” Town’s police division says detectives are investigating the case and “awaiting the formal reason for loss of life, together with any extra findings which may shed additional gentle on the circumstances surrounding the loss of life of Mr. Barnett.”
An announcement supplied to CNN by his attorneys says, “John was within the midst of a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which lastly was nearing the top. He was in excellent spirits and actually trying ahead to placing this part of his life behind him and shifting on. We didn’t see any indication he would take his personal life. Nobody can consider it. We’re all devasted [sic]. We’d like extra details about what occurred to John. The Charleston police want to research this totally and precisely and inform the general public what they discover out. No element might be left unturned.”
His household informed NPR the case was heading to trial in June, including that Barnett was, “trying ahead to having his day in courtroom and hoped that it could pressure Boeing to alter its tradition.”
The assertion from his attorneys Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles described Barnett as “a courageous, sincere man of the very best integrity. He cared dearly about his household, his pals, the Boeing firm, his Boeing co-workers, and the pilots and individuals who flew on Boeing plane. We’ve not often met somebody with a extra honest and forthright character.”
A police incident report says officers had been dispatched to conduct a welfare verify at a Vacation Inn in Charleston shortly earlier than 10:20 am on Saturday. Once they arrived, responding officers discovered Barnett within the driver’s seat of a truck within the car parking zone, with a gunshot wound to the pinnacle. He was holding a handgun. Barnett was pronounced useless on the scene, police stated.
The police report additionally stated there was a bit of paper discovered subsequent to him that seemed like a be aware.
The incident report famous that the lodge had acquired a cellphone name from a “Rob,” who requested the welfare verify on “his coworker John Barnett,” which led lodge staff to the truck within the car parking zone.
The BBC reported that Barnett was in Charleston for authorized interviews and was scheduled for extra questioning on Saturday. He was discovered useless after failing to seem.
When reached for remark relating to Barnett’s loss of life, Boeing issued a press release saying, “We’re saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our ideas are along with his household and pals.”
An announcement from Charleston police indicated the division was conscious the case has generated worldwide consideration, saying, “it’s our precedence to make sure that the investigation is just not influenced by hypothesis however is led by details and proof. Given the delicate nature of the investigation, we’re unable to take part in media interviews presently. This stance is just not distinctive to this case however is an ordinary process we adhere to in an effort to protect the integrity of energetic investigations.”
Barnett, a former high quality supervisor who had labored at Boeing for many years, had “found clusters of steel slivers hanging over the wiring that instructions the flight controls,” in accordance with a 2019 New York Occasions report cited by CNN.
Barnett informed the Occasions that if these “sharp” slivers “penetrated” the wiring, the outcome could possibly be “catastrophic.”
“As a top quality supervisor at Boeing, you’re the final line of protection earlier than a defect makes it out to the flying public,” Barnett informed the Occasions. “And I haven’t seen a aircraft out of Charleston but that I’d put my identify on saying it’s secure and airworthy.”
In a press release despatched to the plant’s staff and supplied to CNN on the time, Brad Zaback, a web site chief on the plant and common supervisor of the 787 program, stated the Occasions’ report “paints a skewed and inaccurate image of this system and of our group (on the plant).”
Zaback, who stated the Occasions declined an invite to go to the plant, stated “high quality is the bedrock of who we’re,” including that the plant delivers “the very best high quality airplanes.”