Rehnquist oversees emergency appeals from the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, and late Monday afternoon, the high court issued a one-line order that stopped the execution. The court will consider the prisoner's full appeal in October.
The next day, Rehnquist developed a fever and was taken by ambulance that night to Virginia Hospital Center for tests and observation. Several doctors were quoted as saying it was common for patients with a tracheotomy to develop infections and fevers.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday July 19, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 0 inches; 33 words Type of Material: Correction
Supreme Court -- An article in Friday's Section A about Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist said Melville Fuller was chief justice from 1890 to 1910. He led the court from 1888 to 1910.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday February 15, 2006 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 39 words Type of Material: Correction
Supreme Court -- An article in Section A on July 15 about Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist referred to William H. Douglas as one of the longest-serving Supreme Court justices in history. It should have said William O. Douglas.
He checked out of the hospital and returned home Thursday, but his brief hospital stay intensified the speculation that he was gravely ill and planned to retire soon.
Rehnquist had said nothing in recent weeks to further the talk that he was about to retire. Neither had he sought to quell the speculation by discussing the state of his health or disclosing his plans for the year ahead.
Lacking real news regarding the chief justice's plans, more than a dozen reporters and TV camera crew members have been outside Rehnquist's Arlington, Va., home each morning before he leaves for work.
During the day, camera crews have been lined up on the sidewalk outside the Supreme Court.
Reporters at the court have asked for a statement that would clarify Rehnquist's plans. On Thursday, about 9 p.m., Rehnquist's family issued his statement to Associated Press; shortly afterward, it was confirmed by Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush had not been made aware of Rehnquist's intentions before his statement but welcomed the announcement that he would remain.
"The chief justice is doing an outstanding job, and we are pleased he will continue his great service to the nation," McClellan said.
Rehnquist's statement also reflects a view that the chief justice has stated often in the past -- that he planned to continue in the job so long as he was capable of doing it well.
Political activists had assumed that Rehnquist, the nation's 16th chief justice, would retire in 2003, the year before the last presidential election.
Because Rehnquist is a Republican, they had assumed he would want to retire in a year when he could be certain a Republican in the White House would replace him.
But Rehnquist said he saw no reason to step down. He liked the intellectual challenge of the court's work. His wife, Nan, died in 1991, and he said he had no interest in retiring to a life of less work and more leisure.
He is not the oldest member of the court. Justice John Paul Stevens is vigorous and active at 85.
Rehnquist was appointed by President Nixon and joined the court in January 1972. He has served longer than all but five justices in the court's history. Chief Justice John Marshall and Justices Stephen Field and John Marshall Harlan in the 19th century and Justices William H. Douglas and Hugo Black in the 20th century served for 34 years or more.
Rehnquist moved up to chief justice in 1986, and he has served longer in that post than anyone in nearly a century.
The last chief justice to serve 20 years was a former railroad lawyer, Melville Fuller, who led the court from 1890 to 1910.
