The infamous and infamous case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, also commonly referred to as the “Devil Made Me Do It” case has been a topic of discussion for many years. It has also been adapted into a well-known film called The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do it.
The trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson has captured the attention of conspiracy theorists, inquisitive individuals, and journalists alike. The primary reason for this is that the trial is one of the earliest cases to have asserted demonic possession as a reality, with Arne’s defense seeking innocence on those grounds.
Arne Johnson not only disavowed personal responsibility for the crime but also asserted that he was under the influence of an external entity.
Following the protracted trial, the jury rejected his account and on 24th November 1981, Arne Cheyenne Johnson was arrested and convicted in Brookfield, Connecticut of first-degree manslaughter for the killing of Alan Bono, his landlord at a gathering.
Summarized Perspective of the Proceedings
All of these incidents were recorded and are detailed in the Gerald Brittle book, The Devil In Connecticut.
The sequence of events commenced when David Glatzel, an 11-year-old, became subject to a demonic presence. His family attested to a demon overtaking the child after witnessing a growing number of paranormal occurrences surrounding David.
Subsequent to trying various remedies against the eerie circumstances, the family decided to seek external assistance.
Exorcism and the Subsequent Homicide
They then sought the Church’s intervention to conduct an exorcism by priests. However, the demon soon departed from the child’s body and took up residence within the body of Arne Johnson.
After several months, the fateful event occurred when Arne Johnson fatally injured his landlord at a gathering.
The entire incident went to trial and for the first time in the history of the United States, the defense claimed that the accused was under the influence of a demon.
Following the rejection of the defense’s claim, Arne was eventually sentenced to a 10 to 20-year imprisonment. He served only 5 years of this sentence.
Broad Coverage
The “The Devil Made Me Do It” trial garnered widespread media attention, and the world observed the proceedings with great interest. The portrayal of the events surrounding the entire incident and the trial has been featured in literature and various programs.
The entire affair was also depicted in the popular The Conjuring film series. In 2021, the case of Arne Johnson was depicted in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.
Why Did The Trial Provoke So Much Infamy?
The prevailing question on everyone’s mind when they first study or discover the murder is always the why. Why did the trial provoke infamy and widespread attention? After all, murder rates were already high across the United States at the time, and an average American would have hardly noticed this one amongst many others.
The murder occurred in the tranquil town of Brookfield (96.5 km north of New York City). Even in this town, the murder would not have garnered global headlines if not for the bold defense assertion by the accused.
Arne’s lawyers propelled the case into the global arena, which subsequently attracted various TV shows, movies, debates, and various narratives.
All the fervent debate surrounding the murder stemmed from one factor: The devil compelled Arne to murder his landlord, not Arne himself.
Martin Minnella argued that the 40-year-old Alan Bono fell victim to the machinations of the devil himself, and not solely the independent intentions of Arne Johnson, the accused.
The Homicide of Alan Bono
No one would contest that the homicide of Alan Bono on 16th February 1981 appeared extraordinary. The murder occurred at a Brookfield dog kennel following a report of an intense altercation between two individuals. This altercation stemmed from alcohol consumption, culminating in the drawing of a pocket knife and the subsequent brutal murder.
The 40-year-old Alan Bono was new to the town of Brookfield and became a victim of a brutal display of animosity.
It was reported in The Washington Times that Arne’s attorney, Martin Minnella, indicated there were four to five substantial wounds, one of which was particularly grievous, extending from Alan Bono’s abdomen to the base of his heart.
This brutal homicide was the first of its kind in Brookfield’s history.
Brookfield’s Police Chief in 1981, John Anderson, continued to assert that this was a typical crime triggered by a party spiraling out of control, resulting in a disagreement and, consequently, a criminal act. “Instead, everyone in the whole world converges on Brookfield,” he remarked.
The Apprehension of Arne Johnson
About two miles away, Arne Johnson was apprehended. He was held in custody in lieu of $125,000 bail at the Bridgeport Correctional Center. When questioned about the details, Arne denied any knowledge of the incident.
It later emerged through Arne’s fiancée, Debbie Glatzel, that Alan Bono arrived at the kennel inebriated.
He proceeded to seize Mary, Debbie’s nine-year-old cousin, and refused to release her despite her continued reluctance. Arne Johnson intervened.
This intensified the situation, and Arne suddenly transformed into an “animal,” brandishing his knife and repeatedly stabbing his boss. The total number of stabs amounted to 4-5.
Present at the scene were Alan Bono, Arne Johnson, Debbie Glatzel, Mary, and Arne Johnson’s sister, Wanda.
The Devil and his Involvement
The speculation regarding the influence of the devil did not materialize out of thin air. Rumors of mysterious activity and paranormal occurrences had been circulating in hushed tones in the area for about a year before the landlord’s murder.
A few months before the homicide, Judy Glatzel, Debbie’s mother, reached out to local paranormal investigators named Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren. Judy claimed that her 12-year-old son, David, was possessed by demons.
According to the Glatzel family, when the boy was possessed, his appearance became ‘contorted’. They referred to the demon as “The Beast”.
Whenever The Beast took possession of David, he would utter obscenities, objects would levitate, hands would seize family members through the floor. The situation escalated to the extent that family members resorted to sleeping during the daytime in preparation for the night ahead.
Expulsion of the Demons
Ed and Lorraine Warren endeavored to involve the church. According to their account, three to four priests initially attended and diagnosed the boy as being possessed.
Subsequently, the bishop of Bridgeport denied the family’s and Warrens’ request for a formal exorcism.
The Warrens then conducted what is known as ‘lesser rites of exorcism’ on David to expel the demon.
The Account of the Warrens
The account of the Warrens carried weight over the years. They asserted they were ‘troubled’ by what they witnessed in the quiet locality of Brookfield.
According to Lorraine Warren, the demonic possession was subjected to three lesser exorcisms performed by six priests, all of whom concurred that David was possessed.
“It wasn’t just Ed and I. The cream of the Catholic Church was involved, and there was tremendous documentation,” she stated in an article for the News-Times in 2007.
The Warrens claimed that when possessed, the boy would levitate, snarl, reveal the whites of his eyes, and laugh.
Paranormal activity around the house included flying plates, rocking chairs, and material objects, such as a toy dinosaur, moving on its own.
The Warrens also claimed that there were 43 demons inside David’s body. They deduced this from the fact that they demanded names from the demons, which David would then articulate. The total number of names provided was 43.
The Homicide Trial
The “The Devil Made Me Do It” trial commenced on 28th October 1981. Martin Minnella believed that the stab wounds inflicted on the landlord were so severe that no human could have inflicted them on another human being. He also asserted that the defense’s claim of demonic possession was suggested to him by the Warrens.
Martin met with the Warrens and decided to take on the case after consulting with them. He recollected, “They told me that when you’re possessed, you have no control over your actions. That stuck in my mind.”
He also traveled to Great Britain to seek advice from lawyers experienced in cases of demonic possession. Additionally, exorcism specialists were planned to testify, alongside other local priests, who ultimately declined to testify.
He also mentioned that at that time, major movie studios were already displaying interest in the case.
The Aftermath of the Arne Johnson Murder Trial
Martin still maintains that what he witnessed was the truth and not fiction. In 2014, he asserted that he had encountered many unusual cases but could clearly discern between realities. Who could have foreseen that a defense such as this would reverberate to such an extent that even decades later people would still discuss it?
The judge dismissed the theory of demonic possession, and the trial concluded after the jury deliberated for 17 hours over the course of three days. They found Arne guilty and sentenced him to 10-20 years. He spent over 4 years in prison.
Even after the trial concluded long ago, many questions remain unanswered. Did the devil truly compel Arne to commit the act?
