In the United States, jury trials are an important part of our justice system. We rely heavily on the jury to decide the fate of defendants. Today we don't think twice about having a jury trial, but they weren't always the "norm." The modern American version of a jury derives from ancient English law. It is said that in the early 11th century William the Conqueror brought from Normandy a form of jury system which became the basis for the first English juries. It was made up of men who had sworn to tell the king what they knew. King Henry II then expanded on the idea by using a group of white men with good morals to not only try the accused, but also investigate crimes. King Henry II had panels of 12 everyday, law-abiding men; this aspect is very similar to modern juries. The difference is that these first jurors "self-informed". This means that they were expected to already be aware of the facts that would be presented in court before the trial. King Henry II's first jurors were assigned the task of resolving the land disputes that were occurring in England. ...