John Paul Stevens: Former Supreme Court justice dies aged 99

John Paul Stevens, who served as a US Supreme Court justice for nearly 35 years, has died aged 99.

The Republican-nominated justice, who emerged as the US Supreme Court's leading liberal, died on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after suffering a stroke on Monday.

Mr Stevens served more than twice the average tenure for a justice, and was only the second to mark his 90th birthday on the high court.

"He brought to our bench an inimitable blend of kindness, humility, wisdom and independence. His unrelenting commitment to justice has left us a better nation," Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement.

Mr Stevens stepped down from the bench at age 90, but remained active in public life.

He wrote books, spoke frequently in public and contributed lengthy pieces to The New York Review of Books.

In his career, he acted to limit the death penalty, squelch official prayer in schools, establish gay rights, promote racial equality and preserve legal abortion.

He also protected the rights of crime suspects and illegal immigrants facing deportation.

He influenced fellow justices to give foreign terrorism suspects held for years at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, naval base the right to plead for their release in US courts

Additional reporting by agencies.