Relay: Hooked In Newport
On a recent getaway to Newport, R.I., my husband and I enjoyed a cozy hotel room with a fire, perfect for the cold and windy winter’s night. But, alas, there was also a television above the mantel, and on it went to check the following day’s weather. My husband flipped through the channels, stopping at first to catch the score, but as he scrolled through, he stopped for a moment on what looked like a public access channel with a judge hearing a case. He kept pushing the button, but I was curious. Go back, I prodded. And like any good husband, he did.
From the bench, the older judge questioned a middle-aged woman about whether she had actually run that stop sign at the corner of such and such a street. Through a translator, she claimed to have been in a hurry. Not a good enough excuse, the judge said. He ruled that she owed an $85 fine. Next case.
“Caught in Providence,” as I learned, is something of a local phenomenon, the brainchild of Frank Caprio, the chief udge of the city’s municipal court. Cameras have full access to court proceedings, mainly for traffic, parking, and low-level criminal offenses. The unscripted reality show airs on the local ABC affiliate, though it began sometime around 2000 as just a local cable show. A search on YouTube is worth it.
During the show I caught, a member of the military, originally from the Dominican Republic, faced the judge on a disorderly conduct charge he received after an altercation with the police outside a nightclub. He respectfully argued his case, and the judge read aloud the officer’s version of events. Ultimately, the judge decided the truth was probably somewhere in between, though he told the member of the armed services he likely had his “alcohol muscles” out that night and perhaps didn’t quite remember things the way he had explained them. Still, he gave him a break: Stay out of trouble for three months and the case would be dismissed. Fair, I thought.
The camera cut to those sitting in the courtroom, waiting their turn in front of the judge. One young man, whose hair was a bit unkempt and who was wearing a sweatshirt, smirked and whispered in his girlfriend’s ear. I imagined he was saying he didn’t expect the same kind of treatment. This is why you never judge a book by its cover. Later in the program, I found it was the girlfriend who was in trouble, not him.
The show has gained a cult following, as I read online. The end of it features voicemails the judge receives about the show, a mix of both positive and negative feedback. One man said the judge, who is of Italian descent, could never be expected to understand the plight of minorities. Another caller told the judge to keep up the good work holding the defendants before him accountable. I had a fleeting thought to call him myself about the late-night entertainment.
All of it — the back and forth, the outlandish excuses, the ways people decide to dress for court — got me thinking about my days as a police reporter. There were many moments, particularly in county court, where I was left thinking, Did that really just happen? I remember covering proceedings back when justice court was held in the meeting room of the old Town Hall. There was this one man in Justice Catherine Cahill’s courtroom one day, shackled thanks to a minor offense, really, who was desperately trying to get out of jail and just needed $200 to pay a fine. He was sitting a stone’s throw away from his girlfriends who, unfortunately for him, showed up on the same day to get him out. Back to the Riverside jail he went.
Let’s face it, “Caught in Providence” could easily be filmed in almost any courtroom, though Judge Caprio’s good-natured humor and the low-level offenses he’s hearing help keep it as mainly lighthearted entertainment for the viewers at home. If the police blotter on the pages of The Shelter Island Reporter are any indication, justice court on the Rock may be the perfect setting, if there’s some producer out there interested. East Hampton Town Justice Steve Tekulsky’s wit from the bench also makes him a candidate, from what I’ve seen and heard.
All jokes aside, the Rhode Island show is a reminder of the sad state many find themselves in, the justice system often just bringing it to light. I often wonder how long it took for that young man on Justice Cahill’s docket to get out. We’ve all seen the jailhouse reality show, no laughing matter there. Just check out “Lockup on Long Island: Extended Stay,” filmed at the Suffolk County jail.
If you’re thinking I need a break from reality television, you’re right.
Taylor K. Vecsey is The Star’s digital media editor.