By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Bookish and reclusive jurist David Souter, who joined the U.S. Supreme Court as a supposed conservative "stealth nominee" but instead emerged as a liberal justice who backed abortion rights and dissented in the 2000 ruling that gave the presidency to Republican George W.

An intensely private man, former Supreme Court Justice David Souter often sided with liberals despite being nominated by a Republican president.

Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter, a low-key New England Republican who was an unexpectedly liberal voice in his 18 years on the nation’s top court, died at his home on Thursday, the Supreme Court announced.