The first trial over the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX 8 crash in Ethiopia, which killed 157 people, begins Monday, April 7, 2025, in a federal court in Chicago. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, April 2, before Judge Jorge Alonso.
The trial, led by attorney Robert A. Clifford, will focus on damages for the families of two victims: Paolo Dieci, an Italian NGO leader, and Darcy Belanger, a Denver-based environmental activist. Boeing has already admitted responsibility for the crash, leaving the jury to decide on compensation.
Additional trials for families who have not settled are scheduled for later in 2025.
