Judge Frank Caprio pays man’s $250 fine and helps him get back his car after hearing his life story
How often do you see a judge paying off someone's fine, especially of a repeated traffic offender? Well, let's just say Judge Frank Caprio is built differently, as in a heartfelt incident, he not only offered to pay a man's fine but also helped him get back his motor vehicle after hearing his heartbreaking life story.
Notably, Daniel Murray, a driver with a long history of road violations, was supposed to pay a $250 fine for seven violations, including five "parking tickets." When Judge Frank Caprio read out the total penalty amount, Murray said, "One quick question, Your Honor. Is there any way that it can be deferred a little bit? I'm just in a bit of a financial situation." To this, the kind judge smiled and asked how much he could pay, and Murray informed him that he had only 92 cents in his bank account. "I just walked from East Providence this morning to get over here," he shared, making everyone, particularly Judge Frank Caprio, gasp in disbelief. "Did you walk from East Providence? That's five miles from here," he said, still reeling from the shock. Moving on, the judge asked if he could have hired an Uber to the court, but Murray replied, saying he couldn't have afforded it.
Caprio, who was clearly moved by the poor man's story, immediately decided to help him get his life back on track. He offered to pay Murray a little money from his fund, the "Philomena Fund," which is named after his mother, so he could afford a ride back home. "I want you to take an Uber so you don't have to walk back," Judge Frank Caprio added, while handing out $25 to Murray. At first, the man humbly denied the offer, but on Caprio's repeated insistence, Murray finally agreed, saying, "Thank you very much. You saved me a great deal of time today and money." But, wait, the judge's generosity didn't end there, as he went on to inform that he would use some other contributions to the fund to pay off Murray's entire penalty.
They say everything comes at a cost, and Judge Frank Caprio's kindness was no exception. "Wait a minute. That's only half the battle. Right. That's our part, you have to do your part," he explained to Murray, asking him to help someone else when he can. "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," he added. Reacting to the heartwarming incident, @bobntina2009 said, "This man's humble nature speaks volumes to his character. You can see the struggle in his eyes, yet when offered help, he initially refused it. The judge tells him that it's going to cost 250.00, and he replies, 'Thank you, Your Honor.' This man needs to start a GoFundMe. I would donate to this guy in a heartbeat because you can tell he is humble and honest. If anyone knows him, tell him that we want to help him."
Echoing the sentiments, @ak-ce8lg wrote, "This man is absolute gold. I liked his attitude. He walked all the way for an hour and a half, and not only did he reach the court on time, but he was also fully dedicated to walking back again. And he didn't want to accept something that was not his money. Man, absolutely, you have moved heaven and earth. Thank you, and I hope you get the best of life." On the other hand, @erikadavid393 said, "This made me cry because it takes a lot of humility to ask for the fine to be 'deferred a little' instead of making excuses to get off it."
You can follow Caught In Providence (@caughtinprovidence) on YouTube for more courtroom drama.