The Department of Justice's prosecution of Mark Forkner, the only Boeing employee charged with a crime after the two fatal crashes of the 737 MAX, rested heavily on lengthy instant message exchanges with a Boeing colleague.
His documented remarks were by turns profane and insulting, and deeply shocking when made public. The most damning suggested that he knew about a design change Boeing made late in the program to the jet's new flight control system — a critical change that he was accused of hiding.
Yet his trial ended swiftly after less than four days. With just one defense witness testifying, the jury found Forkner not guilty less than two hours after the two sides rested their cases on Wednesday in Fort Worth, Texas.
