Ruth Bader Ginsburg becomes first woman to lie in state at US Capitol

Deceased United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has become the first woman in history to lie in state in the US Capitol.

Ginsburg, who died last week at 87, also is the first Jewish-American to lie in state and just the second Supreme Court justice. The first, Chief Justice William Howard Taft, also had been the country's president.

Ginsburg's casket was brought to the Capitol Friday morning for a private ceremony in Statuary Hall attended by her family and lawmakers.

Members of the House and Senate, who were not invited to the ceremony because of space limitations imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, paid their respects before a motorcade carrying Ginsburg's casket departs the Capitol early afternoon.

The honour of lying in state has been accorded mostly to presidents, vice presidents and members of Congress. Representative John Lewis, the civil rights icon, was the last person to lie in state following his death in July.

Rosa Parks - a private citizen, not a government official - is the only woman who has lain in honour at the Capitol.

Ginsburg has lain in repose for two days at the Supreme Court, where thousands of people paid their respects, including President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on Thursday.

Trump plans to announce his nomination Saturday of a woman to take Ginsburg's place on the high court.

Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, seved for 27 years at the court and was the leader of the liberal justices. She will be buried next week in Arlington National Cemetery beside her husband, Martin, who died in 2010.