16 February 2016 :

Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, appointed to the United States Supreme Court in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan, has died at age 79. Antonin Scalia, considered the most conservative member of the Supreme Court, had been appointed to the Supreme Court by President Reagan in 1986. According to many analysts, the unexpected death of Scalia, who died in his sleep after a hunting trip in Texas, opens interesting scenarios. President Obama seems to have more than enough time to to nominate a successor before the expiration of his mandate. Obama himself said: “There will be plenty of time for me to do so and for the Senate to fulfil its responsibility to give that person a fair hearing and a timely vote.” Choosing a progressive judge the balance of the Supreme Court, which is composed of only 9 members, may change considerably on some relevant issues, including the death penalty.