Rhode Island Bids Farewell to Judge Frank Caprio with State-Like Funeral
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Judge Frank Caprio, the beloved “nicest judge in the world,” was laid to rest on Friday after an emotional sendoff that drew crowds of admirers and dignitaries, honoring a man whose compassion in the courtroom made him a global figure.
The 88-year-old retired chief judge of the Providence Municipal Court, who rose to international fame through his show Caught in Providence, died last week after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. His funeral Mass was held at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, presided over by Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston. The ceremony, considered the Rhode Island equivalent of a state funeral, was live-streamed on RIPBS.org for the millions of fans who knew Caprio through his viral courtroom clips.
Following the Mass, a solemn procession moved down Atwells Avenue, through the very neighborhood where Caprio was born in a cold-water flat more than eight decades ago. He was later laid to rest at St. Ann Cemetery in Cranston in a private burial attended by close family.
The tributes began a day earlier at the Rhode Island Convention Center, where Caprio lay in state under a police honor guard. Hundreds came to pay their respects, filing past in quiet reverence. Friends, colleagues, and admirers spoke of his warmth, integrity, and deep connection to the community.
“We were on the Central High School wrestling team together — seventy years ago, we won the state championship,” recalled Jake Bedrossian, a lifelong friend. “He could relate to people. His father was a milkman, you know?”
Community activist Joe Buchanan, known locally as “Joe Buck,” described him as fearless yet compassionate. “He was a man who had compassion, that had love, and that cared about his community. He didn’t whimper and didn’t waver. He didn’t care what people thought. He just did what he thought was right.”
For Rosa De Castillo, director of Community Affairs in the governor’s office, Caprio’s empathy for immigrants stood out. Often asked to translate for Spanish-speaking defendants in his court, she remembered his fairness: “I told them not to worry. Just tell the truth, and he’ll treat you fairly.”
Caprio’s reputation as a judge who mixed firmness with mercy became the hallmark of his decades on the bench. Jim Vincent, former president of the Rhode Island NAACP and the Urban League, said Caprio balanced compassion with accountability. “He never used his position as a judge to intimidate people. But if he gave you a break and you wound up back in his court, he’d say, ‘Look, I gotta do what I gotta do.’ People understood that and thought it was fair.”
That philosophy captured national attention, leading to Caught in Providence, the Emmy-nominated reality courtroom series produced by his brother. Clips of his rulings — where he often gave breaks to struggling families, veterans, or young people — drew more than a billion views online and earned him a following of millions across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Kelsey Swanson, a close family friend, summed up his authenticity: “He was exactly the same off the bench as he was on it. He could have brought peace to the Middle East. I’ll really miss him.”
Governor Dan McKee ordered flags in Rhode Island to be flown at half-mast in Caprio’s honor, calling him a “Rhode Island treasure” and praising his courage in facing illness. “Judge Caprio not only served the public well, but he connected with them in a meaningful way. He was more than a jurist — he was a symbol of empathy on the bench.”
Judge Frank Caprio’s final farewell was both a local and global moment. For Rhode Islanders, it was the goodbye of a neighbor who never forgot his roots. For millions worldwide, it was the loss of a man whose belief in kindness and second chances offered hope far beyond his courtroom.