Deceased Boeing whistleblower John Barnett warned a friend before his death that ‘if anything happens to me, it’s not suicide.’ Barnett, 62, was found shot to death this week. The Charleston County coroner’s office ruled his death self-inflicted.
Barnett, who was involved in a lawsuit against Boeing, was previously employed at the company for 32 years and raised serious concerns about its production issues. According to his legal team, he faced a hostile work environment due to his outspoken concerns, particularly about safety problems with Boeing’s flagship 787 Dreamliner model. “He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn’t see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it,” said his attorneys.
A friend has now come forward with information suggesting that Barnett did not, in fact, take his own life. Barnett’s friend Jennifer said she asked him if he was scared. According to Jennifer, “he said, ‘No, I ain’t scared, but if anything happens to me, it’s not suicide.’”
“I know that he did not commit suicide. There’s no way,” Jennifer said. She claimed that someone “didn’t like what he had to say” and wanted to “shut him up,” adding: “That’s why they made it look like a suicide.”
Barnett’s attorneys remain steadfast in their pursuit of justice and plan to proceed with the case set for June. In light of these events and allegations, there appears to be more to the story than what the preliminary reports suggest.
Boeing has recently faced several scandals related to accidents involving its aircraft. A recent FAA audit uncovered dozens of issues with its production.
