John Barnett worked at Boeing for nearly 30 years. Before he left the company, he filed a whistleblower complaint, alleging he was retaliated against for raising safety concerns. Last March, after two days of testimony, he was found dead in his truck. Police ruled his death a suicide. We tell the story of Barnett’s life, and death, as a Boeing whistleblower. Further Reading: - Boeing CEO Apologizes to MAX Crash Families, Calls Culture ‘Far From Perfect’ - The Disarray Inside Boeing’s 737 Factory Before the Door Plug Blowout - Can Boeing Be Fixed? Aerospace Leaders Offer a Repair Manual Further Listening: - The Failures Inside Boeing's 737 Factory - A Hole in a Plane and a Headache for Boeing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What led to John Barnett becoming a whistleblower?
A quick heads up before we get started. This episode discusses suicide. Please listen with care. About a year ago, a man named John Barnett got into his orange Dodge Ram to take a road trip. He was driving from his home in Louisiana to Charleston, South Carolina. He was going there to give a deposition in a long-standing legal case he had against his former employer.
Before Barnett hit the road, he told his mother, Vicki Stokes, that he had a bad feeling about the trip.
You know, I asked him, I said, what do you mean? He said, well, I just don't have a good feeling. I'll just be glad to get this trip over with. He says, I'm not scared. He said, I just don't have a good feeling about this trip.
After two grueling days of depositions, and before he finished his testimony, Barnett was found dead in his truck in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn. Police ruled his death a suicide. In his truck, on the seat beside him, there was a note. It was in Barnett's handwriting. It said that he was at peace and that he loved his family.
And in large letters, followed by three exclamation points, it said, I pray Boeing pays. Boeing. Barnett worked for the airplane manufacturing giant for nearly 30 years. Before he left the company, he filed a whistleblower complaint with the Department of Labor, alleging the company retaliated against him and pushed him out because he'd raised safety concerns. Boeing disputes this.
In a statement, the company said, quote, we are saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing and our thoughts continue to be with his family and friends. Boeing's statement concluded, we encourage all employees at Boeing to speak up if they see a potential problem or issue. Over his career at Boeing, Barnett did speak up. A lot.
He just felt like they didn't care. And, you know, he just, he didn't know where to go. And we tried to tell him, you know, you can't fight a company like that. Just let it go. And he said, I just, you know, I can't.
Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power. I'm Ryan Knudson. It's Tuesday, February 18th. Coming up on the show, the life and death of a Boeing whistleblower.
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