Her grandfather's murder led Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Marcia Caballero to the bench.

She was studying to be a teacher when he was gunned down during a restaurant robbery as he went to pick up food for a family celebration.

The criminal proceedings took her into court for the first time. She doesn't remember the judge's name, but she said: “It planted a seed. He was so kind and compassionate and considerate with the family. He took the time to explain to us, and I thought that was so nice of him to do that. It took the fear out of the whole proceedings—to be able to go there and see and understand what was happening and why.”