Contreras story 'needed to be told'

The Downtown News steps out of character with an 1,100-word editorial defending the LA Weekly's decision to run a story reporting that labor leader Miguel Contreras died in a botanica tied to prostitution. The Oct. 26 story by David Zahniser set off a backlash from former Weekly editor Harold Meyerson and threats of a boycott from labor supporters. This week's Downtown News opines:

We understand the questioning of whether the seamy private life of a prominent public figure should be reported, or if this is a situation where the media should demonstrate restraint, deferring to the sensitivities of the family.

But really, this case is pretty clear: The Weekly (which last week experienced an editorial shake-up) published a solid, thoroughly reported story that raises serious questions about the death of a public figure and the behavior, in the ensuing hours, of other local leaders. It doesn't answer every question or provide every detail, nor could it possibly do so. But it is time to stop blaming the messenger and instead use the information to understand a) if protocol or the law was breached, and b) the many sides of Contreras.