Judge rejects Boeing’s plea deal for conspiracy case over fatal 737 MAX crashes

The ruling creates uncertainty around the criminal prosecution of Boeing in connection with the development of its bestselling airline plane.

A federal judge on Thursday rejected a deal that would have allowed Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed, killing 346 people.