DALLAS, TX (AP, MyBellinghamNow.com) – A federal judge rejected a deal that would have let Boeing plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about two plane crashes.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor gave Boeing and the Justice Department 30 days to tell him how they plan to proceed. They could negotiate a new plea agreement, or prosecutors could move to put the company on trial.

The rejected deal was reached in July and would have let Boeing plead guilty to defrauding regulators who approved pilot-training requirements for the 737 Max nearly a decade ago.

Boeing negotiated the plea deal only after the Justice Department determined that Boeing violated a 2021 agreement that had protected it against criminal prosecution on the same charge.

Many relatives of the passengers who died in the 2018 and 2019 crashes have spent years pushing for a public trial, the prosecution of former company officials and more severe financial punishment.

Prosecutors said they did not have evidence to argue that Boeing’s deception played a role in the crashes.

In his ruling, O’Connor focused on part of the agreement that called for an independent monitor to oversee Boeing’s steps to prevent violation of anti-fraud laws during three years of probation.