The right to a trial by jury is an old and crucial one, a cornerstone of democracies. According to Greek mythology, in the fifth century B.C., the goddess Athena summoned a jury of 12 citizens to help her decide the fate of Orestes, who had killed his mother after his mother had killed his father. Orestes was acquitted, and Athena was so satisfied by the judicial process she ordered all homicide cases to be tried in such a fashion.