Frank Caprio, the long -standing chief judge of a short municipal providence and star of the reality reality TV series in Providence, died at the age of 88 after fighting pancreatic cancer, confirmed his family.
He died peacefully on Wednesday August 20.
“Judge Frank Caprio died peacefully at the age of 88 after a long and courageous battle against pancreatic cancer,” his family said in a statement published on Facebook.
“In his honor, we can each strive to bring a little more compassion to the world – just as they did every day.”
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has ordered that flags in state buildings and agencies to be transported by half-mast to the Caprio burial.
“Judge Caprio was a Treasury of Rhode Island,” he said. “On a personal level, he was a friend who faced his illness with Bravoure, and I will miss a lot. My thoughts go to his family and loved ones during this difficult period.
“The Caprio Judge not only served the public well, but it was connected with people significantly. He has shown everything to us what justice with humanity can look like.”
A judge known worldwide
Caprio has become widely recognized by taking Providence, the long-standing reality TV show that has highlighted its compassionate way of treating minor traffic offenses. With humor and empathy, he has often brought laughter and comfort to people appearing in his courtroom.
The program was broadcast locally for more than 20 years before being disseminated nationally. Later, clips of his decisions found a huge audience on YouTube, where new videos continued to appear even after leaving the bench.
“I don’t wear badge under my dress,” said Caprio often. “I wear a heart.”
Earlier this year, he published his memoirs, compassion in the Court: the stories that change the life of the most beautiful American judge.
His illness and the last months
Caprio revealed in December 2023 that he had received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He praised the “wonderful team of doctors” attending him in Boston and Providence, but admitted that he was facing “a form of insidious cancer”.
He updated his 1.7 million Instagram followers, sometimes publishing videos during chemotherapy sessions. In one, he listened to the singer-songwriter Jewel, who later said that she was “honored to bring him a small amount of comfort”.
Judge Frank Caprio is known in Rhode Island and far beyond as a man who brought kindness and compassion in the courtroom.
