Information about the trial and case.
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Arne Cheyenne Johnson
Arne Cheyenne Johnson was a man who was convicted of manslaughter for killing his landlord in 1981. Johnson's defense claimed that he was possessed by a demon and didn't remember the stabbing. This case became known as the "devil made me do it" case.
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About the case
According to testimony by the Glatzel family, 12-year-old David Glatzel allegedly had played host to a demon. After witnessing a number of increasingly ominous occurrences involving David, his family, exhausted and terrified, decided to enlist the aid of Ed and Lorraine Warren in a last-ditch effort to "cure" the child. The Glatzel family, along with the Warrens, then proceeded to have multiple priests petition the Catholic Church to have a formal exorcism performed on David. The process continued for several days, concluding when, according to those present, a demon fled the child's body and took up residence within Johnson.
Several months later, on Feb. 16, 1981, Johnson killed his landlord during a party with a five-inch pocket knife. His defense lawyer argued in court that he was possessed, but the judge ruled that such a defense could never be proven and was therefore infeasible in a court of law. Johnson was subsequently convicted.
Before the murder, Johnson was by all accounts a regular teenager with no criminal record.
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The challenge
"I yelled at this thing to the top of my lungs. I said, 'Leave this little kid alone. Take me on. I'm here. Take me on.' I felt this coldness come over me, ice cold. Lorraine said, 'Oh my God, what did you do?'" Johnson recalls in the documentary.
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Outcome of Trial
On November 24th, 1981, Arne Cheyenne Johnson was convicted of first-degree manslaughter in the death of Alan Bono. The following month, he was sentenced to 10–20 years in prison. In 1986, he was released early due to good behavior after serving nearly five years.
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Was it all faked?
In a documentary on Netflix, Debbie and David's brother claims that the paranormal activity was potentially all faked. He said the the Warren's and their mother would discuss the potential activity in front of David then a week later he would act out. When their father came into the room to discipline David he would calm down and be quiet.
