BOSTON (AP) — The chief justice of Massachusetts’ highest court has died after suffering a heart attack earlier this month.

The associate justices of the Supreme Judicial Court announced the death of Chief Justice Ralph Gants in an emailed statement.

Gants released a statement last week saying he suffered a heart attack on Sept. 4 and was admitted to the hospital where surgeons inserted two stents in an occluded artery.

Gants had said that he expected to be discharged soon and planned “to resume full duties, albeit initially on a limited basis.”

The New Rochelle, New York, native was appointed as an associate justice of the court in 2009 and was sworn in as the chief justice by Gov. Deval Patrick in 2014.