Interview with Michael Hastings' brother - Jonathan Hastings

Reckless and Inspired: An Interview With Jonathan Hastings About His Brother, the Journalist Michael Hastings

The article/blog was posted by a friend of Michael Hastings’ elder brother, Jonathan, within the past couple of days (dated Nov. 4, 2013).
The writer of said blog was likewise acquainted with Michael Hastings, with said acquaintance having some years’ buffering between last communication and the fiery crash of June 18, 2013.

For me, little more regarding the events surrounding Michael Hastings’ death is learned from the lengthy interview…than was already in the public domain.

One does get a glimpse into one sibling’s recollections of the family, family life, and perceived influences that may have contributed to shaping the hated, loved, respected and despised journalist…but little more pertaining to the days leading up to the morning in question.

And, likewise…still – no further information regarding his alleged destination of Las Vegas on that fateful morning.

I have seen others comment that – after reading the interview, they felt the scales of evidence tipping toward No Foul Play.
I saw nothing in the interview to lend any more weight to the scales on either side…

What about you?

Here are a couple of excerpts near the start of the interview, that are, I feel, pertinent to the events sensational events of Michael Hastings' death...

(*Note - PR is the interviewer... JH is Jonathan Hastings.)
Again - this is from the 'Reckless and Inspired' blog found at uncouthreflections.wordpress.com.

...PR: I know you flew out to check in on Mike just a day or two before the crash.
JH: As I told the police out in L.A., a few days before he died, Mike called me and I got the impression that he was having a manic episode, similar to one he had had 15 years ago which he had referred to in his writing. At that time, drugs had been involved, and I suspected that might be the case again. I immediately booked a flight to L.A. for the next day, with the thought that maybe I could convince him to come back to Vermont to dry out or (less likely) get him to go to detox/rehab there in L.A. When I got to L.A. and saw him, I immediately realized that he was not going to go willingly. I started to make arrangements with our other brother to fly out and help me possibly force Mike into checking himself into a hospital or detox center. I’d thought that I had at least convinced Mike to just stay in his apartment and chill out for the next few days, but he snuck out on me when I was sleeping. He crashed his car before anyone could do anything to help him.
PR: Lordy.
JH: I ended up telling this all to the police on Tuesday morning, as I was one of the last people to see him alive and I was one of the few people who could really put his behavior on that day in context.
PR: How good a job do you feel the cops have done looking into the crash?
JH: I feel that the investigation was pretty thorough. The LAPD was very easy to work with, and I think they did a good job. I certainly have no real complaints about them or the coroner’s office, and I think everyone in my family is satisfied with the report. For the most part, it didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know or strongly suspect.
PR: Any disagreements with it?
JH: Not really. I think there’s a larger context that it leaves out, but a lot of that stuff seems to me to be out of the scope of a report about a traffic accident.

May throw a couple of cents worth of thoughts in, later...if no-one else does.
Thanks.

Self-preservation.

FlyingFox
Self-preservation.

I suppose "self-preservation" could come into play under the impulse of a variety of motivators.
I don't think he's being "dishonest" - any more than we all...usually...frame our answers to show us in the best light...for the situation.
Sometimes the "best light" is also our defense &/or justification...

What frustrates me most about this is - he refers to conversations or communications with "friends" of Michael's, who were growing more concerned about his state of mind over the last couple/few months of Michael's life.
And - that - in conjunction with his "suspicions" that arose ONLY within one week prior to Michael's death (from a phone conversation) - was enough to satisfy any doubt...that his fears were correct.
In the Comments section after the Interview...a Commentor asked about Jeremy Scahill's take on Michael's demeanor within that last week - and - JH further, simply restated his belief (being - Michael was entering into a "manic episode")...even though...the earlier justification had claimed that "Michael's friends" had been worried for months.

Where are these "friends" and their stories?

Michael Hastings had spent almost the entire day of June 12th with Jeremy Scahill (and that evening with a number of other friends)...
There was no "maniacal" upswing in his Twitter postings...(though - if June 12th/13th was the start - there would be no way of knowing, as - his Twitter feed went silent after the Tweets of that day)...

As has been said numerous times and in numerous ways - "Paranoia - does not mean that no-one is following..."

reply to post by WanDash


Hi WanDash thanks for posting.

I also noticed Jonathan completely ignored Guy Montag's question : Speaking of Elise, what about Elise Jordan (Michael’s widow) impressions of his mental state and behavior in the days leading up to his crash? I was surprised to find she wasn’t mentioned in your interview.
(she and Michael apparently spending hours talking on the patio with Ali Gharib the week before his death)

I also find him falling back on " He was full of life because in was in the early stages of a manic episode..." a little too easy.
Man, if Hastings was onto the NSA story he'd have been fully aware of the implications and sure has hell excited about it.... Only to be faced by his big brother unexpectedly, determined to have him committed to the psych ward !! (putting myself in Michael's position I would have have run for the hills too)

I find my thoughts resonating with the comments of Robertmstahl underneath the article.

And I agree with you with regards to those "friends" apparently so concerned for months before and that the interview has done nothing to swing my opinion either way.

Glad you're sticking with it
x

bowaconstricta
...I also noticed Jonathan completely ignored Guy Montag's question : Speaking of Elise, what about Elise Jordan (Michael’s widow) impressions of his mental state and behavior in the days leading up to his crash? I was surprised to find she wasn’t mentioned in your interview.
(she and Michael apparently spending hours talking on the patio with Ali Gharib the week before his death)
...

Hey bowaconstricta - thanks for chiming in...

Good eye on the Ali Gharib info. Believe it or not - I had totally missed this.

I'm just having a hard time with the 'timing' and 'speed of onset' attributed to the purported 'manic episode'.
He hadn't "just started" using weed...after a many-year hiatus.
He'd been on the stuff since probably February.
So - imo - you can't, with any reasonability, say that triggered this magnitude of a manic episode.

And - I don't think a prudent assessment would even suggest that Adderall...was a "new addition" to the medicine cabinet... And - unless it was "new"...OR...he'd just gone on a binge-like upswing on the intake...I don't see it accounting for the plunge we are being told took place.

The numbers of people he had been with over the previous weeks...and their impressions & recollections of his general demeanor...does not seem to corroborate the alleged concern for his mental health ascribed to "long-term acquaintances".

Perhaps Elise Jordan is one of those that JH was alluding to...in the category of "long-term acquaintances".
From the little that I've witnessed coming from her mouth or pen*...I have never gotten the impression that she "saw this coming".
And - if she was in L.A. the previous weekend (as Ali Gharib stated), you wouldn't think she was so far removed from his life...to have noticed.
Maybe we'll hear something from her to clear this up.

Again - he suspected that he was under investigation...or...a target...and, subscribed to the notion that surveillance activities were pointing his direction.
When one grows suspicious...they generally question 'everything'.
So - others think they're being "overly suspicious"...and/or "paranoid"...
And - if they're wrong about 97% of the suspects...but right about 3%...they are/were ultimately - RIGHT (to be suspicious).
If you are standing on the wall of a fortress - you suspect/question every sound, movement, shadow and nuance...
It's your job!
And, may be...your life.

...I also find him falling back on " He was full of life because in was in the early stages of a manic episode..." a little too easy.
Man, if Hastings was onto the NSA story he'd have been fully aware of the implications and sure has hell excited about it.... Only to be faced by his big brother unexpectedly, determined to have him committed to the psych ward !! (putting myself in Michael's position I would have have run for the hills too) ...

I agree.

And something else - at one point, when responding to a question regarding what he (JH) thought of the many conspiracy rumors/theories swirling around - he replied that he might have thought the same...if he had not been with Michael' that last day.

And yet - the co-owner of the shop where Michael' purchased 2 t-shirts on that afternoon...saw nothing that led them to think anything was "off" about his behavior...and rather reported that he seemed in high/good spirits.

It is certainly possible that JH was correct in his assessment of Michael's mental state...and that ONLY he and those unnamed and faceless long-term acquaintances could see what others around him...could not.
But - that put's a huge burden on those considering the facts to - just trust me - I know what I'm talking about - and you don't.

What do you think it was...that convinced JH of Michael's descent into delirium?
Was it 'the paranoia'?
Was it the same thing that was stated in the email to colleagues and friend...?
Was it the same thing he spoke of...when calling Jennifer Robinson...?
Was it the same thing he used to justify a request to Jordanna Thigpen for the use of her car...?

I still don't see how we are supposed to get from -
suspecting everyone & everything
-to-
driving like the devil's in your rear-view mirror...straight into a tree.