Overview of Hour 1: Pablo Torre Finds Meow (feat. Pablo Torre)
This hour of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz features guest Pablo Torre discussing his investigative podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out, focused on the wrongful-conviction story of Charles Don Flores on Texas death row. The show mixes earnest reporting with the program’s usual comedic bits (the recurring “meow” index-card gag, “whack‑a‑mole” metaphor, dap anecdotes) and also touches on current sports newsroom items: NBA trade/discipline rumors, a recent small trade, Clippers/Kawhi/James Harden chatter, and a heartbreaking update about NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin’s family tragedy and injury.
Main segments & topics covered
- Pablo Torre — overview of his Pablo Torre Finds Out episode profiling Charles Don Flores, a man on Texas death row who Torre and his team argue was wrongfully convicted.
- Details of the Flores case — eyewitness hypnosis, no physical evidence tying Flores to the crime, the actual gunman pled guilty and has been released, Flores’s long solitary confinement and emotional coping.
- Legal status and appeals — hypnosis-based identification has since been outlawed in Texas but not applied retroactively; Flores’s appeals have repeatedly failed and a Supreme Court appeal was being pursued.
- Call to action — a petition to raise awareness and pressure for review: actionnetwork.org/petitions/charles
- NBA reporting & rumors — a small reported trade (Gabe Vincent + 2nd → Atlanta for Luke Kennard) and ongoing Giannis trade chatter: Minnesota/Golden State reportedly think they aren’t getting Giannis; Miami remains interested; most believe Giannis likely stays in Milwaukee.
- Clippers/NBA controversy — talk about alleged league wrongdoing, coaches’ reactions, Adam Silver’s role, and possible (but uncertain) NBA accountability; Clippers reportedly preparing for a post‑Kawhi era.
- Denny Hamlin update — emotional reporting: house fire that killed his father and injured his mother; Hamlin re-tore a surgically repaired shoulder falling in the rubble.
- Show’s recurring bits — “meow” index-card gag, “whack-a-mole” metaphor for investigative persistence, “prison glass dap” moment with Flores, and light banter about daps and celebrity moments.
Key takeaways
- Pablo Torre’s episode argues Charles Don Flores was wrongfully convicted primarily on hypnosis‑tainted eyewitness ID; there’s no physical evidence connecting him to the murder. Flores has spent decades in near‑total solitary confinement and remains on death row despite the actual shooter being released.
- Texas later outlawed hypnosis testimony in criminal trials, but the change was not applied retroactively in Flores’s case — a central reason his appeals have not secured relief.
- Torre and the show are amplifying the case and asking listeners to sign the petition (actionnetwork.org/petitions/charles) to increase public pressure and attention.
- NBA coverage: small trade news and continuing uncertainty around Giannis; league discipline and internal politics (Clippers/Kawhi/James Harden) remain active reporting areas with no clear resolution yet.
- Denny Hamlin is dealing with profound personal loss and physical injury — a reminder of the human cost behind sports headlines.
Notable quotes & moments
- Dan Le Batard (whack‑a‑mole metaphor): “You guys are the moles. I’m the one with the mallet.” (used to describe pushing issues and people into focus)
- Pablo Torre on Flores’s demeanor in isolation: “The one thing he’s learned how to control are his emotions… he spends 26 years learning to do that.”
- On the legal absurdity: description of the hypnotized eyewitness video — “as if from one of these on‑the‑nose movies” — used to convey how striking the footage is.
- Emotional scene noted: Flores learned he had a stay of execution over a radio — Torre called it one of the most affecting scenes in the episode.
Action items / how listeners can help
- Sign & share the petition to raise public awareness: actionnetwork.org/petitions/charles
- Listen to Pablo Torre Finds Out for the full reporting and video/audio excerpts (Torre’s show and its YouTube/Twitter posts contain the evidence clips referenced).
- Share the episode and petition on social media to increase scrutiny and public pressure for further legal review.
Tone & production notes
- The hour blends investigative journalism with the show’s typical levity: recurring comic bits (the “meow” index card, dap anecdotes), banter among hosts, and sponsor spots interspersed with serious reporting.
- Torre’s reporting is presented as immersive, field‑style journalism (“driving out to Death Row,” in‑person interviews, video of hypnosis and prison interactions), intended to humanize Flores and catalyze action.
Recommended next steps for listeners who care
- Listen to the full Pablo Torre Finds Out episode for context and primary-source clips.
- Sign and distribute the actionnetwork petition (actionnetwork.org/petitions/charles).
- Follow Torre’s reporting and the show for updates on Flores’s appeals and any new developments in the NBA and NASCAR stories mentioned.