3. The Exorcism Of Emily Rose
The history of Anneliese Michel, a German woman, is well documented. Michel was sixteen when she had her first epileptic attack. Or that is what science thought. Before long, her condition worsened and this time science could only stand by and watch, confounded. Anneliese began experiencing demonic hallucinations while praying, she heard voices that told her that she was damned and became intolerant of various religious objects. Despite the medications, she soon turned suicidal. Anneliese and her family then became convinced that she was possessed. And why wouldn't they be? The woman committed a plethora of disturbing acts, such as licking her own urine off the floor, eating coal and spiders and crawling under the table and barking like a dog. On a pilgrimage, Anneliese wouldn't walk across a certain image of Jesus and refused to drink water from a holy spring. She was convinced that she was possessed by several demons, including Lucifer, Judas, Cain and Hitler. Eventually, sixty seven exorcisms were committed on her but to no avail. On 1 July, 1976, Anneliese died at her home. The death was attributed to starvation and dehydration. Her parents and priests who attempted the exorcisms were charged with negligent homicide. Anneliese's parents were excluded from punishment because, according to the Court, they had clearly 'suffered enough.'