Did the devil really make him do it? That’s the question people have been wondering for decades. On November 24, 1981, Arne Cheyenne Johnson was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter. But what made his case unique? It was the first case to be heard in a modern court of murder by possession.
You may remember Johnson’s story thanks to 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, but the story is very much based in reality. In the months leading up to the murder, the brother of Arne’s girlfriend was reportedly possessed and in February of 1981 the entity took over Johnson. He and his landlord, Alan Bono, got in a fight that ended with Bono dead. Ed and Lorrain Warren deemed Johnson possessed, giving is lawyer a unique argument.
A new Netflix documentary, The Devil On Trial will delve into what led up to the case, the crime, and the reported possession. Written and directed by Chris Holt, the documentary will feature interviews with Are Johnson himself as well as others involved with the case.
Witness The Devil On Trial, premiering on Netflix on October 17, 2023.
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