The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • Politics

    CURL: West Point is site of historic Vietnam speech

  • Politics

    Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything

  • Food

    Obama pardons 'Courage,' the Thanksgiving turkey

  • Politics

    Obama to outline war plan at West Point

  • Politics

    Obama to attend Denmark climate summit

  • Business

    Initial jobless claims lowest in about year

  • National

    PULLEN: GOP came unmoored in last decade – it hurt

Monday, February 21, 2005

End of story for Hunter Thompson

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos

More Stories

  • Taliban chief rejects talks with Karzai government
  • Obama to outline war plan at West Point
  • Obama expects support for more troops
  • D.C. sports icon, Wizards owner Pollin dies

By

Outlaw, druggie, Dunhill-smoking, Chivas Regal-drinking, anti-establishment literary icon Hunter S. Thompson committed suicide after becoming depressed about the United States' shift toward conservatism, said one longtime friend who spent the weekend at the Aspen, Colo., home of the late "gonzo" journalist.

"He was depressed about the state of society," said Loren Jenkins, foreign editor for National Public Radio in Washington.

A vehement opponent of President Bush, Mr. Thompson, 67, "was feeling maudlin about the current conservatism sweeping the country," Mr. Jenkins said. "He felt he'd had a long run, trying to create a freer society in the '60s and '70s and he felt it had all been closed down."

Mr. Thompson's body was discovered Sunday by Juan Thompson, his son by his first wife, Sandra Dawn Thompson. His second wife, Anita, was not home at the time. The family issued a statement asking for privacy.

In recent months, Mr. Thompson had suffered injuries and other health problems. While others expressed shock at Mr. Thompson's death, close friends " including Mr. Jenkins " did not.

"Everyone who knew Hunter knew that he lived by his own rules and that he would end his life by his own rules," Mr. Jenkins said.

But other friends said yesterday that Mr. Thompson seemed to be in good spirits during the past week.

"I was there Friday evening at his home and left him at midnight," said longtime friend and neighbor Michael Cleverly.

"We had a lovely evening. He was very upbeat. I'd have been less shocked if he had shot me rather than himself," said Mr. Cleverly. "He is the last person on the planet Earth I would expect of that."

Mr. Cleverly, who knew Mr. Thompson for 25 years, said the writer " who lived at a compound called Owl Farm " had several assignments in the works, including a book of his photography. "He was in the midst of a productive life. My only speculation was that [the suicide] had to be an impulse, not something he'd been dwelling on."

123Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Commenting is disabled for this entry.
If you feel there is still something worth mentioning about this entry please contact the author or the site admin.

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. Top Republican lawmakers not attending State Dinner
  3. Fenty trails Gray in D.C. poll
  4. Conservatives seek test for RNC funds
  5. Food snobs fork over $225 for taste of heritage turkey
More Top Stories »
  1. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
  2. PRUDEN: Obama's due process doctrine
  3. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
  4. List of W.H. state dinner guests
  5. Company that repaired Chairman Gray's house lacked license

Most Shared

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything
  3. EDITORIAL: Obama's sacked inspector general
  4. EDITORIAL: Kennedy vs. Catholicism
  5. 'Boutique' patients pay for better access to doctors
More Top Stories »
  1. PULLEN: GOP came unmoored in last decade – it hurt
  2. The United Socialist States of America
  3. Ky. hanging, ruled a suicide, leaves bloggers at loss for words
  4. Ego of 'O': It's all about him
  5. Medical pot gets social

Most Commented

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. Top Republican lawmakers not attending State Dinner
  3. Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything
  4. Conservatives seek test for RNC funds
  5. PRUDEN: Obama's due process doctrine
More Top Stories »
  1. Ky. hanging, ruled a suicide, leaves bloggers at loss for words
  2. EDITORIAL: Terrorists use Democratic talking points
  3. EDITORIAL: Obama's sacked inspector general
  4. A-listers, fundraisers at W.H. state dinner
  5. The United Socialist States of America

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Blogs & Columns

  • Hot Button Blog

    RNC: Breast cancer recommendations may lead to 'rationing'

  • Belief Blog

    Evangelicals OK civil disobedience

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • Redskins 360

    Gray coy about job

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.