Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett Died by Suicide, Coroner Finds

• Boeing whistleblower John Barnett’s reason behind dying has been decided.
• Earlier than his dying, the whistleblower, who spent about 30 years with Boeing, raised varied alleged security considerations in regards to the planes.
• “Barnett’s longstanding psychological well being challenges had intensified in reference to ongoing authorized proceedings associated to his whistleblower case,” the Charleston Police Division mentioned.

The reason for dying of former Boeing high quality management supervisor John Barnett has been decided.

The 62-year-old Louisiana man died by suicide on March 9, the Charleston County Coroner’s Workplace mentioned, in accordance with an announcement from the Charleston Police Division, obtained by PEOPLE on Friday, Could 17.

On the time of his dying, the Charleston County Coroner’s Workplace mentioned in an announcement obtained by PEOPLE that Barnett died of an obvious self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. He was discovered lifeless in his automotive within the car parking zone of his Vacation Inn resort, situated at 301 Savannah Freeway.

The Charleston Police Division mentioned within the Could 17 assertion that there was “no proof of compelled entry was discovered and there have been no indicators of a bodily wrestle throughout the car.”

“Info and information reviewed in the course of the investigation uncovered Mr. Barnett’s longstanding psychological well being challenges, which had intensified in reference to ongoing authorized proceedings associated to his whistleblower case,” police mentioned.

Moreover, the Charleston Police Division mentioned a pocket book was discovered on the entrance passenger seat of the car, which “included a observe from Mr. Barnett that advised he was going by means of a interval of great private misery.”

In an announcement in March, Barnett’s household mentioned he skilled post-traumatic stress dysfunction and nervousness, claiming that the “hostile work atmosphere at Boeing” led to his dying, reported NBC Information. 

“John informed us that every single day was a battle to get administration to do the proper factor,” the household assertion learn. “He was wanting ahead to having his day in courtroom and hoped that it will drive Boeing to vary its tradition.”

Barnett, who labored at Boeing for about 30 years earlier than his 2017 retirement, was in Charleston, S.C., to testify in his whistleblower case in opposition to Boeing after he alleged security considerations, stories Time and the BBC.

The US Division of Labor was working by means of the invention section of its investigation and is ready to start hearings on that criticism this June.

“John was within the midst of a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which lastly was nearing the tip,” his attorneys, Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles, mentioned in a assertion obtained by PEOPLE in March.

“He was in excellent spirits and actually wanting ahead to placing this section of his life behind him and shifting on. We didn’t see any indication he would take his personal life. Nobody can consider it,” they added. “We want extra details about what occurred to John. The Charleston police want to analyze this absolutely and precisely and inform the general public what they discover out. No element may be left unturned.”

The BBC reported that he gave a proper deposition and was questioned by Boeing’s attorneys the week earlier than his dying and was scheduled to bear further questioning that Saturday.

Barnett first filed a criticism with the Occupational Security and Well being Administration in January 2017. He accused Boeing of retaliating in opposition to him, however the company decided there was none. He appealed the choice, in accordance with The Washington Put up.

Two years later, in an interview with the BBC, he claimed staff had been below stress to deliberately match plane with substandard elements on the manufacturing line. He additionally informed the outlet about his considerations with the oxygen programs on Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners. He alleged that one in 4 respiration masks wouldn’t work within the occasion of an emergency.

Barnett’s dying follows the current public scrutiny of Boeing after plenty of public incidents — together with when a a part of a Boeing plane blew out mid-flight on an Alaska Airways journey and when 50 individuals had been injured on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner when a sudden mid-air motion prompted the aircraft to drop abruptly.

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If you happen to or somebody you recognize is contemplating suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Disaster Lifeline by dialing 988, textual content “STRENGTH” to the Disaster Textual content Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.