The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments over whether former Pennsylvania Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille should have recused himself from a capital case he was involved with while a prosecutor.

The court has granted a petition for writ of certiorari filed by Terrance Williams. The petition argued Castille should have recused himself from hearing the case when it was before the state Supreme Court, because he had been involved with the prosecution when he was district attorney of Philadelphia.

Williams was convicted of murder and robbery in 1986 and sentenced to death when Castille was the Philadelphia district attorney. According to the petition for writ of certiorari, Castille personally authorized the pursuit of a death sentence for Williams.