A man who walked five miles to court with less than a dollar to his name had his fine paid off by a judge who showed an act of kindness that will remain etched in the man’s memory.
Chief Judge Frank Caprio, known for his hit-program, Caught in Providence, where ‘real people have their cases heard’ in court, displayed an inspiring act of kindness that touched the hearts of many.
The case involved a motorist, Daniel Murray, who had ‘seven violations,’ five of which were ‘parking tickets.’
Murray faced a hefty $250 fine for the fees and tickets, but it was clear that he was unable to pay the funds.
Upon receiving the fines, Murray asked the judge if there was any flexibility in paying the money back, to which Caprio responded with generosity.
Upon catching wind of Murray’s ‘five-mile’ pilgrimage to the Rhode Island courthouse, Caprio asked if he could ‘take an Uber.’
However, Murray replied that he had no money at the moment, explaining that he runs ‘youth lacrosse’ programs.
Caprio then decided to help the struggling man by taking assistance from his fund, the Philomena Fund, named after his mother.
He handed out $25 from the fund for Murray, saying: “I want you to take an Uber so you don’t have to walk back.” The motorist accepted the kind offer and thanked the judge for saving him time and money. But Caprio’s generosity didn’t stop there.
“We’re gonna help you out with these fines,” the chief judge declared, “we’re going to use this fund to pay for your fine, so you’re gonna be all set.” Murray was left speechless by Caprio’s kind gesture, saying: “Wow, thank you so much. That’s more than generous.”
Caprio then went on to say, “That’s our part, you have to do your part. You have to help somebody else. There are an awful lot of people out there who have similar problems, and you are going to be in a situation to help them. Don’t forget them. Remember how you felt? So you have to give back.”
The clip has since been uploaded to Facebook, where viewers couldn’t wait to share their reactions to the heartfelt gesture. One Facebook user posted: “This judge is so impressive!” Another echoed, “He’s just a fantastic judge full of compassion.” A third added: “This program has helped me see there is a lotta good left in the world.”
The kindness displayed by Caprio towards Murray touched the hearts of many, and it’s a reminder that in a world filled with so much negativity, there is still compassion and hope. As the famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi goes, “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” Caprio’s act of kindness certainly reflects this sentiment, and his actions serve as an inspiration for us all to do our part in helping those in need.
