Rightfully they should answer the case at hand in the proper manner, the fact it may harm their reputation is due to their own actions. There is clearly a case to answer as to in the court, and the families of those lost deserve real answers and the truth, which they were not going to get hidden behind a plea deal. It was rather disgusting that the plea deal was ever on the table.
I greatly question what has gone so wrong at Boeing in recent years across so many areas.