A US judge who amassed a huge online fan base via clips of his compassion in the courtroom has died.<\/p>\n
Frank Caprio was on the bench at a court in Providence, Rhode Island, for almost four decades.<\/p>\n
He became affectionately known as the “nicest judge in the world”, NBC Boston reported, after viral videos of him handing out justice with a smile were viewed more than a billion times on social media.<\/p>\n
The latter years of his career, which ended in 2023, were documented in the TV show Caught In Providence.<\/p>\n
A statement on Wednesday on his Instagram page, which had 3.2 million followers, said he had died aged 88 “after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer”.<\/p>\n
It said he was “beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people”.<\/p>\n
He had posted a message from his hospital bed the day before, saying: “Unfortunately I’ve had a setback, I’m back in the hospital now, and I’m coming to you again asking you to remember me in your prayers once more.”<\/p>\n
Caprio’s persona was at odds with fellow TV judges, who were less sympathetic and more confrontational.<\/p>\n
In one popular clip, he dismissed a traffic ticket handed to a bartender who skipped a red light, as they were only earning less than $4 (\u00a32.97) an hour.<\/p>\n
Another saw him listening sympathetically to a woman whose son had been killed, before dismissing her tickets and fines which had totalled $400 (\u00a3297).<\/p>\n
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