Virginia

Justice Antonin Scalia's Body to Lie in Repose

Justice Antonin Scalia's body will lie in repose Friday and a funeral will be held the following day, sources familiar with the plan told NBC News.

Scalia, who joined the Supreme Court in 1986 and was its longest-serving justice, died Saturday at age 79.

His courtroom chair was draped in black Tuesday to mark his death as part of a Supreme Court tradition that dates to the 19th century. The entrance to the marble courtroom and the mahogany bench in front of Scalia's chair also have been draped with black wool crepe.

Scalia's body is now at the Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home in Fairfax, Virginia. Assistant manager Bob Gallagher said the body arrived on Sunday night and that there will be no autopsy before burial.

Scalia will lie in repose in the Great Hall of the Supreme Court building ahead of a funeral slated for Saturday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, sources told NBC News.

The funeral service Saturday requires major planning for Scalia’s large family and the officials who will attend. It could be held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which has seating for more than 2,600 people, News4's Tom Sherwood reported.

The Supreme Court justice was found dead in his room at a remote Texas ranch.

Presidio County Judge Cinderela Guevara declared that Scalia died of natural causes, but she did so by telephone, based on information from law enforcement personnel at the scene. The procedure is allowed under Texas law.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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