PTFO - Watching the Dallas Cowboys on Death Row: Our Visit to a Supermax Prison
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Deep Dive
Why do death row inmates often use their last words to shout out their favorite sports teams?
Inmates may see it as a final way to assert their social identity and connection to a meaningful group, overcoming the social death they experience in prison.
How does Charles Flores maintain his connection to sports while on death row?
Flores uses sports as an escape from the stress of his impending execution, watching games through a small window in his cell and participating in fantasy football leagues with other inmates.
What role does sports play in Charles Flores' life on death row?
Sports provide Flores with a sense of normalcy and a connection to his family and community, helping him cope with the extreme isolation and stress of his situation.
How does Charles Flores prepare for game days on death row?
Flores plans a feast using pre-cooked items from the commissary, such as nachos or enchiladas, which he heats up in a hot pot. This ritual helps him feel connected to the outside world.
What is the significance of the Law of Parties in Charles Flores' case?
The Law of Parties in Texas holds accomplices to a felony as culpable as the actual perpetrators, leading to Flores' death sentence despite not being the gunman in the crime.
How does Charles Flores view the possibility of his last words being about sports?
Flores sees it as a way to reassert his humanity and connection to a community, even as he is being executed, reminding the world of his identity as a sports fan.
What challenges does Charles Flores face in participating in fantasy football on death row?
Flores and other inmates must submit their fantasy lineups using a fishing line to pass notes between cells, and they rely on sports talk radio and newspapers for updates due to limited access to real-time stats.
How has the Texas state legislature's recent ban on forensic hypnosis testimony impacted Charles Flores' case?
The ban, enacted in September 2023, does not retroactively help Flores, whose conviction relied on such testimony, leaving him still awaiting a potential execution date.
- Death row inmates often use their last words to shout out their favorite sports teams.
- Dave Fleming visits the Polunsky Unit in Texas to interview Charles Flores, a death row inmate and lifelong Cowboys fan.
Shownotes Transcript