US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Dies At 79 Saturday February 13,2016

 

US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia(79)who helped shape the legal thought of his time, has died, the governor of his home state of Texas confirmed Saturday February 13,2016.

 

"Justice Antonin Scalia was a man of God, a patriot and an unwavering defender of the written Constitution and the rule of law," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement about the longest-serving justice on the high court.

Justic Antonin Scalia died in his sleep during a hunting trip in Texas, after telling friends Friday night that he didn’t feel well.

The flag at the steps of the US Supreme Court was lowered to half-mast after news broke of Scalia's death

A candle was laid on the steps of the Supreme Court on Saturday night 

Justice Antonin Scalia was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 and was the longest-serving current justice on the Supreme Court

Scalia (front, second from left) was nominated to the US Supreme Court in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan and is the longest-serving justice on the Court

Ronald Reagan announces Scalia's nomination to the Supreme Court on June 17, 1986

Retiring Chief Justice Warren Burger, right, administers an oath to Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, as Scalia's wife, Maureen, holds the bible during ceremonies on September 26, 1968

Justice Antonin Scalia leaves behind his wife of 55 years, Maureen (pictured together in 2012), and their nine children

Seventeen of the first 25 people to sit on the Supreme Court died as acting justices. Of the first 57 -- the first half of all of those to have been on the Supreme Court -- 38 died while on the bench. Of the second 57, only 12 died while on the bench.

The last, prior to Antonin Scalia, who died at some point Friday night or Saturday morning, was Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who died in 2005. Prior to that, the last justice to die while on the bench was Fred Vinson, who died in 1953 -- also while chief justice.