Much like the original "The Conjuring," the upcoming sequel is based on a true story: the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson. In 1981, 19-year-old Johnson was convicted of murdering his landlord Alan Bono after an argument involving Johnson's girlfriend Debbie Glatzel turned violent. Johnson's defense sparked media attention when they claimed he had been possessed by the Devil and could therefore not be held personally responsible for the crime. During the trial, Debbie's 11-year-old brother David testified that he had originally been possessed by demons, and after enlisting the help of Ed and Lorraine Warren, they were excised from his body — only to find a new host in Johnson (via People).
The case was the first in U.S. history to use the defense of demonic possession to deny culpability. However, presiding judge Robert Callahan refused to hear the defense or any evidence, saying, "I'm not going to allow the defense of demon possession, period" (via the Hartford Courant). Johnson was eventually convicted and went on to serve five years of a 10- to 15-year sentence.
