Coroner’s report declares Boeing whistleblower death a suicide – Washington Examiner

The Charleston County, South Carolina, coroner’s report has determined Boeing whistleblower John Barnett’s cause of death was suicide.

Barnett spent 32 years working at Boeing as a quality-control manager, ultimately becoming one of the first to raise the alarm about safety concerns, including faulty installation of oxygen masks and hasty production that led to errors. Shortly after his 2017 retirement, Barnett began a seven-year lawsuit surrounding the quality of Boeing’s products.

An airplane flies over a sign on Boeing’s 737 delivery center at Boeing Field in Seattle. (AP Photo)

The morning he was set to deliver final evidence against Boeing during a three-day deposition, Barnett was found dead in his truck from a gunshot wound.

The report includes entries from Barnett’s journal found at the scene of the declared suicide. Some of the entries say, “I pray the motherf*****s that destroyed my life pay!!! I pray Boeing Pays!!! ….The Entire System For Whistlblower is F***d up Too … I Can’t Do This Any Longer!!! Enough!! F*** Boeing! Trump 2024 Whislblowers Protection is F****d Up Too!!…Family and Friends I Love You All.”

The timing of Barnett’s death immediately set off alarm bells for many, with some speculating his death wasn’t a suicide.

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The report confirmed Barnett was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder due to stress related to the Boeing lawsuit, with medical records stating “since February of 2017, the victim has suffered from anxiety, depression, ongoing nightmares and often wakes in a panicked state,” and “anytime he must engage with [the] legal case he experience[s] increased anxiety.” The day before his death, Barnett said he wanted to get an increase in the medication he was on to treat his symptoms. The whistleblower was also allegedly on medication for depression.

The report also confirmed a conversation Barnett had with a friend during which he said, “If I am found dead, it was not a suicide.” The report states that at the time of death, attorneys, friends, and acquaintances said Barnett did not appear suicidal but tired and ready to return home.