We all know the demon-fighting duo the Warrens have been made popular by Patrick Wilson’s perfect face, but were you aware that the Warrens actually existed? Whether or not they really battled Satan himself remains unknown, but they did inspire 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, which was based on true events.
The trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson took place in 1981 and was the first known court case that tried to use demonic possession to prove the defendant’s innocence. The real court case inspired a book, the aforementioned Conjuring sequel, and Netflix’s new documentary, The Devil On Trial. Maybe one day there will be a special titled The Devil Takes A Mugshot but that has not happened yet.
The Devil On Trial chronicles the strange case of David Glatzel, an 11-year-old who was allegedly possessed after visiting his sister’s new rental home. David warns the family that a ghost has told them not the move there, and then the pre-teen begins to act strange and insist that a demon was out to get them. This is when Ed and Lorraine Warren stepped in, performing a seemingly botched exorcism in which the demon then went to possess Arne Cheyenne Johnson, who then started to exhibit strange behavior.
Eventually, Johnson murders his landlord in a rampage, and the Warrens testify that it was because the devil was inside him. Did I mention that this took place in Connecticut? It all makes sense when you take that into consideration.
While The Devil Made Me Do It has Wilson doing his best demon-hunting face, The Devil on Trial brings in actual witnesses of the event so you can decide if you believe that the devil really made him do it after all. See for yourself on Netflix. Or don’t and just go out and get possessed by a demon! It’s the time of year for it anyway.