FORT WORTH, Texas Sept 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on

Wednesday held a three-hour hearing to consider objections to a

deal between the Justice Department and Boeing ( BA ) that

allows the planemaker to avoid prosecution on a charge stemming

from two fatal 737 MAX plane crashes that killed 346 people.

Judge Reed O'Connor in Texas questioned the government's

decision to drop a requirement that Boeing ( BA ) face oversight from

an independent monitor for three years and instead hire a

compliance consultant, but did not immediately issue a decision.

He heard anguished objections from relatives of some of those

killed in the crashes in Indonesia in 2018 and Ethiopia in 2019

to the non-prosecution agreement.

About two dozen relatives -- some from as far as Indonesia,

Africa, Europe and Canada -- traveled to the Texas courthouse to

argue that Boeing ( BA ) should not be allowed to avoid pleading guilty

after last year agreeing to do so.

"It's been going almost seven years since these crashes and

we still haven't gotten any justice," said Ike Riffel, a

California father whose two sons were killed in the Ethiopia

crash.

Boeing ( BA ) will no longer face oversight by an independent

monitor under the agreement but will hire a compliance

consultant, and O'Connor asked why the government no longer

thinks a monitor is needed.

A government lawyer said Boeing ( BA ) has improved and the

Federal Aviation Administration is providing enhanced oversight.

Boeing ( BA ) and the government argue O'Connor has no choice but to

dismiss the case and cannot appoint a special prosecutor as some

relatives have sought.

'Connor said in 2023 that "Boeing's ( BA ) crime may properly be

considered the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history."

Boeing ( BA ) has now agreed to pay an additional $444.5 million

into a crash victims' fund to be divided evenly per victim of

the two fatal 737 MAX crashes, on top of a new $243.6 million

fine and over $455 million to strengthen the company's

compliance, safety, and quality programs.

"The eyes of the world are on American to see if it is going to

hold Boeing ( BA ) accountable," said lawyer Paul Cassell, who

represents some of the victims. "Essentially this is an effort

by Boeing ( BA ) to bribe their way of out accountability."

Boeing ( BA ) did not immediately comment.