In our first ever web exclusive Rewrite, MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell weighed in on how The Orlando Sentinel has been rewriting itself in the Trayvon Martin investigation.
On Monday, the paper broke a big news story on Trayvon’s suspension from high school because he was found with a baggie that may have once contained some marijuana.
That article was written by the newspaper's police reporter, Rene Stutzman, and she appeared as a guest on Monday's show. Lawrence O’Donnell questioned some attributions in the piece, or lack thereof. Upon further investigation from the Last Word, the newspaper eventually issued changes.
"Let's hope The Orlando Sentinel does not have to rewrite itself again, and let's hope that The Orlando Sentinel learns how to answer simple press questions about routine editorial procedures at the newspaper," Lawrence said in the Rewrite.
Though an editor still refused to answer the specifics of exactly when and why they added the attributions to the article.
Lawrence ended with a warning message. He said, "If editors at The Orlando Sentinel go into "no comment" mode when asked about procedures that should be public, then journalism in Florida is in serious trouble when, more than ever, we need the best journalism they can deliver."