'Wrongful death' | Boeing faces workplace harassment suit over whistleblower's suicide

The family of former Boeing quality manager John Barnett, has launched a wrongful death lawsuit against the aerospace giant, accusing it of subjecting him to a campaign of harassment that led to his suicide.

The complaint, filed in the US District Court of South Carolina, alleges that Boeing’s treatment of Barnett created a hostile work environment that caused him severe psychological distress.

Barnett, who spent 32 years at Boeing, was found dead in his car in a Charleston hotel parking lot on March 9 last year. His family claims the company’s retaliatory actions were the “clear, foreseeable cause” of his death.

His mother and two brothers, who brought the suit on behalf of his estate, argue that Boeing’s conduct resulted in post-traumatic stress disorder and depression that became unbearable for him.