Stevens was the first U.S. ambassador to die in office since the 1988 aircrash in Pakistan which killed Arnold Lewis Raphel (Creative Commons/Wikipedia)

WSJ:

“By finding and using Mr. Stevens's personal handwritten thoughts, CNN provoked an unusually sharp condemnation from top officials at the State Department, who called the network's conduct ‘disgusting’”

For its part CNN said that it notified Stevens' family about the journal within hours after it was discovered  and used the ambassador's writings served as tips about the situation in Libya, and in Benghazi in particular.

In a statement issued following the criticism, CNN wrote that it did not initially report on the existence of a journal out of respect for the family. The news organization then attacked the State Department.

CNN:

We think the public had a right to know what CNN had learned from multiple sources about the fears and warnings of a terror threat before the Benghazi attack which are now raising questions about why the State Department didn't do more to protect Ambassador Stevens and other US personnel. Perhaps the real question here is why is the State Department now attacking the messenger.

Read more of Neon Tommy's coverage on Libya here.

Reach Executive Producer Jackie Mansky here.