The True Story Behind The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
2. The Verdict & Legacy
On November 24 1981, after a hastily arranged plea of self-defense, a jury found Arne Cheyenne Johnson guilty of first-degree manslaughter. Judge Robert Callahan imposed a sentence of 10-20 years, however 19 year-old Johnson was freed after only 5.
In the years since this sensational media spectacle, The Demon Murder Case has simply refused to go away. The murder set a legal precedent as it was the first time in history a defense of demonic possession had ever been attempted.
Less than 18 months after the trial Ed and Lorraine Warren hired author Gerald Brittle to pen The Devil in Connecticut. The book details the plight of the Glazel family, the crime and the subsequent trial and resulted in a made-for-TV movie of the same name later that year.
Following his release from prison, Arne Johnson and his wife Debbie have continued to tell their story on television shows such as "A Haunting" and "My Ghost Story." Both were also interviewed extensively for the upcoming The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do it.