Frank Caprio

The video is convincing, complete with CCTV footage and the prosecutor addressing the judge.

Even the late Judge Frank Caprio of Rhode Island was impersonated in a deepfake viral video.

And even if you don't recognize his name, many of you probably recognize his human-oriented courtroom remarks that have gone viral more than once.

He was even the subject of the TV show Caught in Providence, whose YouTube channel has nearly 3 million subscribers.

You're coming to the person with open arms, and you're giving the person in front of you the response or the support that truly sees and helps them without asking them for anything in return.

One of the best examples of this I have ever heard came from the late Judge Frank Caprio.

Now, you might remember him as America's nicest judge, and his kindness in his Rhode Island courtroom made him a viral sensation, with millions of people following him from around the world.

And I feel so honored that I got to sit down with Judge Caprio just a few months before he passed away at 88 years old.

And during our conversation, I asked him about his very first day as a judge in municipal court, where most of the people coming in before him are dealing with everyday things like parking fines, traffic violations.

And something happened on that very first day on the bench that totally changed the way that Judge Caprio treated people for the next 30 years.

Here is Judge Frank Caprio on the Mel Robbins Podcast.

Take a listen.

I remember talking to Linc Chafee when he was running against Ken Block the first time in 2010.

Uh, Frank Caprio was the Democrat.

Mm-hmm.

And John Robitaille, he almost pulled it out.

And then there'll be polls after that, and then we'll see where we go.

As you know, John Robitaille in 2010, if you had to look at a comparison, uh, was, uh, with Link Chafee, the, you know, the former governor and senator, and Frank Caprio.

And if you look at the exact same poll, and that's actually when Ken Block got six point five percent, that's the only time he was ever on the ballot, the general ballot.

I've won two primaries, by the way.

Yeah.

And, you know, and his videos are just great, you know? And it's like it, you know, he's the one guy or, you know, "I'm a single dad" and, and, uh, what, what's his name, Ron? Frank Caprio.

Frank Caprio.

Yeah, so, uh, uh, but a great demeanor.

And a lot of these things were, you know, parking ticket kinda things.

And I think that history states that a lot of things change from now till the end, you know, to November 3rd.

So you might remember John Robitaille and John Robitaille in 2010 when he ran against, you know, former Senator Lincoln Chafee and Frank Caprio.

Exactly.

He was about 17 to 20 percent.

And so if it's plurality, at that point, I think Senator Chafee won by 38.

I think John was 36.

I think Frank Caprio, former treasurer, was 23%.

And I think Block was 6.5%.

[laughs]

It was Frank Caprio was the Democrat.

John Robitaille was the Republican, closing quickly.

Yep.

Petty.

But if you get that old guy, the one that, I think his name's Judge Frank.

You ever see those videos? He's super nice to the people that are having a hard time.

He's like, you know what? We'll get rid of this ticket.