Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead
Second Whistleblower Death Raises Questions
By Mark Strassmann and Michael Kaplan
The cause of death for Michael Dean, a former Boeing employee who had raised concerns about the company's production standards, is unclear. Dean's death comes less than two months after another Boeing whistleblower, Josh Barnett, was found dead in his pickup truck. Both men had raised concerns about the company's production standards.
Dean's mother, who lives in North Carolina, told CBS News that she had not heard from her son in several days. She said that she had been trying to reach him by phone and text, but he had not responded. She said that she had also tried to go to his apartment, but he was not home.
On March 27, Dean's mother called the police to report him missing. The police went to Dean's apartment and found his body. The Charleston County Coroner's Office confirmed the death, but the cause of death is still under investigation.
Dean's death has raised questions about the safety of Boeing's production practices. In 2019, Dean had raised concerns about the company's production standards to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA investigated Dean's concerns and found that there were some validity to them. However, the FAA did not take any formal action against Boeing.
Barnett, the other Boeing whistleblower who died, had also raised concerns about the company's production standards. In 2018, Barnett had filed a lawsuit against Boeing, alleging that the company had retaliated against him for raising safety concerns. The lawsuit was settled out of court.
The deaths of Dean and Barnett have raised concerns about the safety of Boeing's production practices. The FAA is currently investigating Dean's death, and the Charleston County Coroner's Office is investigating Barnett's death.
Comments