Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia Is Dead At 79

Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia was reportedly found dead in Texas on Saturday morning. He was 79 years old.

Scalia died of natural causes, according to My San Antonio, which broke the news.

Scalia was a highly conservative Supreme Court associate justice who had many controversial views and opinions. He was against affirmative action and wrote a scathing dissent on the ruling for same-sex marriage, which he opposed, last summer.

Scalia was also against the right to have an abortion and dissented in the landmark Planned Parenthood v. Casey case, saying abortion should not be a constitutionally-protected right.

The justice's death leaves a space open on the Supreme Court. President Barack Obama can nominate someone, but that person has to be confirmed by the Senate.