By Steve LeBlanc | Related Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Frank Caprio, a retired municipal decide in Rhode Island who discovered on-line fame as a caring jurist and host of “Caught in Providence,” has died. He was 88.
His official social media accounts stated Wednesday that he “passed away peacefully” after “a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.”
Caprio billed his courtroom as a spot “where people and cases are met with kindness and compassion.” He was identified for dismissing tickets or exhibiting kindness even when he handed out justice.
Final week, Caprio posted a brief video on Fb about how he had “a setback,” was again within the hospital and was asking that folks “remember me in your prayers.”
Caprio’s present was filmed in his courtroom and featured his folksy humor and compassion. Clips from the present have had greater than 1 billion views on social media.
Throughout his time on the bench, Caprio developed a persona at odds with many TV judges — extra sympathetic and fewer confrontational and judgmental.
In his bite-sized segments on YouTube, Caprio is usually seen empathizing with these in his courtroom. Most of the infractions are additionally comparatively minor, from failing to make use of a flip sign to a quotation for a loud celebration.
Caprio additionally used his fame to deal with points like unequal entry to the judicial system.
“The phrase, ‘With liberty and justice for all’ represents the idea that justice should be accessible to everyone. However it is not,” Caprio stated in a single video. “Almost 90% of low-income Americans are forced to battle civil issues like health care, unjust evictions, veterans benefits and, yes, even traffic violations, alone.”
Caprio’s upbeat tackle the job of a decide drew him thousands and thousands of views. His hottest movies have been these the place he calls kids to the bench to assist cross judgment on their dad and mom. One exhibits him listening sympathetically to a lady whose son was killed after which dismissing her tickets and fines of $400.
In one other clip, after dismissing a red-light violation for a bartender who was making $3.84 per hour, Caprio urged these watching the video to not duck out on their payments.
“If anyone’s watching I want them to know you better not eat and run because you’re going to get caught and the poor people who are working hard all day for three bucks an hour are going to have to pay your bill,” he stated.
His fame reached so far as China, the place clips of his present have been uploaded to social media in recent times. Some followers there posted about his loss of life, recalling and praising the humanity he confirmed in his rulings.
His household described Caprio “as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend.”
“Beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people, Judge Caprio touched the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond,” the household wrote on-line. “His warmth, humor, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him.”
State and native politicians mourned his passing and celebrated his life.
“Judge Caprio not only served the public well, but he connected with them in a meaningful way, and people could not help but respond to his warmth and compassion,” Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee stated in a press release. “He was more than a jurist — he was a symbol of empathy on the bench, showing us what is possible when justice is tempered with humanity.”
Robert Leonard, who co-owned a restaurant with Caprio, stated he was “going to be sorely missed” and was “all around wonderful.”
“There is nothing he wouldn’t do for you if he could do it,” Leonard stated.
Caprio retired from Windfall Municipal Court docket in 2023 after almost 4 many years on the bench.
In keeping with his biography, Caprio got here from humble beginnings, the second of three boys rising up within the Federal Hill neighborhood of Windfall, Rhode Island.
“I hope that people will take away that the institutions of government can function very well by exercising kindness, fairness, and compassion in their deliberations. We live in a very contentious society,” he stated in 2017. “I would hope that people will see that we can dispense justice without being oppressive.”
LeBlanc, an Related Press journalist who retired in January, was the first author of this obituary. Related Press writers Michael Casey in Boston, Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed.
