Relatives of Boeing 737 MAX crash victims from around the world to testify in Fort Worth courtroom

FORT WORTH, TX (CBSDFW.COM) – Boeing pleaded not guilty in a federal courthouse Thursday in Fort Worth to a criminal case involving two fatal crashes involving its 737 MAX aircraft.

The hearing drew families of the victims from all over the world.

Relatives were allowed to testify in court for the first time after U.S. District Judge Reid O’Connor recently overturned a U.S. Justice Department decision and found the families victims of the crime.

Although cameras are not allowed in federal courtrooms, the relatives spoke to reporters outside the courthouse after the hearing.

Clarisse Moore of Canada lost her 24-year-old daughter Danielle, who was among those killed on March 10, 2019, when an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crashed after takeoff. “I not only lost my daughter, I lost my past, my today, my future, my tomorrow.”

Nadia Milleron of Massachusetts held up a poster of 89 of the 157 people aboard the same Ethiopian Airways plane.

Milleron and her husband Michael Stumo have lost their 24-year-old daughter Samia Rose Stumo.

Five months ago, in October 2018, a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX crashed after takeoff in Indonesia.

A total of 346 people died.

Milleron said: “These are innocent people who lost their lives and it’s important to remember these people because it could be you or your family.”

Tzipora Kuria flew out of London to tell the judge about her father, Joseph Kuria Waithak, 55, who was also on board the Ethiopian Airlines plane. “It’s hard to try and step forward because you always go back to March 10th. Life has been a rollercoaster of nightmares, anxiety and night terrors. Some of the things we saw were terrible.”

At the start of the hearing, Boeing’s chief safety officer, Michael Delaney, pleaded not guilty on behalf of the company to charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

As he left the courthouse, Delaney was asked if he had any comments. “It was a very emotional day.”

Two years ago this month, the Justice Department and Boeing entered into a deferred prosecution agreement.

Under the agreement, Boeing will not be charged in connection with two employees accused of misleading the FAA about how the new MAX aircraft’s flight control works.

Reports show that the company has agreed to pay $243.6 million in criminal monetary penalties, more than $1.7 billion in compensation to airlines that bought the MAX aircraft, and an additional $500 million in compensation to the heirs and relatives of the plane crash victims.

In a post-hearing statement, Boeing said, “We will never forget the lives lost in these accidents, and remembering them motivates us every day to live up to our responsibility to all who depend on the safety of our products.”

Paul Njoroge, originally from Kenya, who now lives in Canada, lost his family on a 737 MAX aircraft: his wife, 33-year-old Caroline Nduta Karanja, his 6-year-old son Ryan Njugun Njoroge, 4-year-old daughter. Kelly Pauls, Ruby Pauls, only 9 months old, and his mother-in-law Ann Karanja. “I am the voice of my wife and children, the only voice left of my wife and children.”

Njoroge and other relatives want the company and top managers to be charged with manslaughter. “The question that always haunts me is why is the Justice Department trying to protect Boeing?”

The families have asked the judge to bring an independent monitor into the case to make sure Boeing is committed to safety.

The company and the Department of Justice opposed telling the judge that it was not necessary due to their agreement.

The judge did not rule on the motion at the time of the hearing.