Frank Caprio, the chief judge of the Providence Municipal Court in Rhode Island and star of the television show “Caught in Providence,” has passed away at the age of 88.
He died on Wednesday, August 20, following a lengthy battle with cancer.
Caprio’s family confirmed his passing in a statement, saying that he “passed away peacefully after a long and courageous battle with cancer.”
Don McKee, Governor of Rhode Island, referred to Caprio as a “Rhode Island treasure” and ordered flags at government buildings in the state to be flown at half-staff until his burial.
Born in the Italian-American neighborhood of Federal Hill in Providence, Caprio hosted the successful show “Caught in Providence” for more than two decades, first on local television and later nationally.
The judge, who had served in the Providence Municipal Court since 1985, gained worldwide popularity for his compassionate and humane approach to people appearing before him.
His courtroom clips garnered millions of views on YouTube, and in December 2023, he announced his cancer diagnosis. Throughout his treatment, he regularly shared updates about his health journey with his 1.7 million followers on Instagram.
