Boeing Avoids US Criminal Charge in 737 Max Jet Crash Case (3)

Boeing Co. will avoid a criminal charge over two fatal 737 Max crashes after a federal judge paved the way for a $1.1 billion settlement agreement, handing the embattled manufacturer a victory in a long-running legal battle.

US District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth on Thursday granted a request from the US Justice Department to dismiss its criminal case against Boeing and approved a non-prosecution agreement struck by the parties. The deal requires the planemaker to pay fines and to compensate family members of crash victims.

In his written ruling, the judge said the new agreement “fails to ...