The Big Picture
- The Devil On Trial is a true-crime Netflix documentary that explores the first instance of possession being used as a defense in a murder trial in US history.
- The documentary focuses on Arne Johnson, the man who committed the murder, and the supposed possession that led to his actions.
- The film delves into the impact of the possession on the Glatzel family, particularly David Glatzel who claimed to be possessed, and sheds light on the controversy surrounding the authenticity of the possession.
Just in time for Halloween, Netflix has released a true-crime documentary called The Devil On Trial. What’s so special about this one? This is the very first time in US history that possession has been used as a defense on a murder trial. So long to claim the clinically insane, this trial levitated right past that and made claims that a man committed murder because of the devil being inside of him. The spectacle gained national attention and was coined “The Devil Made Me Do It” trial. If you’re familiar with the Conjuring universe, this may sound familiar to you. The third of the core movies is called The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and it was based on what happened that led to this trial. The Devil On Trial is a look inside how a supposed religious experience had repercussions on not only the person possessed but the family adjacent to the possession.
Who Is Arne Johnson and What Happened to Him?
Arne Johnson was a 19-year-old man when he stabbed his landlord, Alan Bono, multiple times which led to his death. According to the Washington Post, Arne called in sick to work on February 16th, 1981, and joined his girlfriend Debbie Glatzel at the Brookfield Boarding Kennels where she worked. Alan Bono was in charge of the kennels as well as being Arne and Debbie’s landlord. Alan took Arne, Debbie, Arne’s sister Wanda, and cousin Mary, out to lunch that day. There, Arne, Debbie, and Alan had some drinks.
After returning from lunch, Alan was playing his music too loud and was very clearly intoxicated. Debbie tried to whisk Wanda and Mary away, but Alan grabbed Mary in opposition. The next moments seemed like they were a blur, but eventually, Debbie was in between Alan and Arne, trying to stop the two from fighting. Unfortunately for all of them, the thing that stopped the arguing was a knife that came piercing down into Alan’s skin. Arne had stabbed Alan multiple times and Alan didn’t survive. Arne was arrested for murder, but claims he has no recollection of the events and that the devil made him do it.
Who Are the Glatzels and How Are They Connected to Arne Johnson?
Where did the devil infesting Arne’s body even come from? Without the Glatzels, it’s possible that Arne would’ve never murdered or claimed being possessed caused him to murder. David Glatzel was 11 years old in 1980 when he claimed that he was possessed. David was the younger brother of Debbie, and upon visiting Debbie and Arne’s home, says that he was possessed by the devil. A good chunk of The Devil On Trial focuses on David and how his life was turned upside down at a very young age. Viewers get to see pictures and hear recordings of the Glatzels’ interactions with David during the time that he was possessed.
David was seeing shadowy figures, toys, and objects moving on their own, and he was living in fear at every turn. When the supposed possession progressed too far, the matriarch of the family Judy Glatzel, called Ed and Lorraine Warren. The two were notorious in the Connecticut area at the time for the Amityville case. TIME notes that, because of his condition, the Warrens and Glatzels were approved for an exorcism from the Catholic Church. Arne was present during the exorcism, and in the documentary, he explains that he intervened when David was struggling. He asked the entity to leave the little kid alone and instructed “Take me on. I’m here. Take me on.” I have to assume Arne isn’t a huge horror movie fan, or else he would’ve known how terrible of an idea that is for himself! This is where both the majority of the Glatzel family and Arne suspect that the entity let go of David and latched onto Arne. Six months after the exorcism took place, Arne committed murder.
Was Arne Johnson Really Possessed?
No one knows the truth about whether Arne was possessed or not. After Judge Callahan refused to admit any claims of possession for defense, Arne and his lawyer had a terrible time trying to argue the case. Ed and Lorraine Warren were incredibly active in the media and even went as far as to hire a writer, Gerald Brittle, to write the story. That book was released in 1983 and was titled The Devil In Connecticut. This is the book that inspired the 2021 film The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. In the documentary, David’s older brother Carl Glatzel, is vehemently opposed to the claims that anyone was possessed.
Carl found out after his mother’s passing that there was a more logical explanation for what happened to David that led to Arne claiming the possession. Carl found a note that mentioned that she had given her family their “medicine.” The medicine in question was Sominex, a sleeping aid. Carl noted that some of the side effects of excessive Sominex include mood swings, weight gain, and hallucinations. So to him, it’s possible that David was suffering from those side effects. This would mean that Arne used David’s suffering as an excuse for why he murdered Alan. There is also speculation of Debbie cheating on Arne with Alan, as hinted in the documentary, and that would also give a more rational explanation for Arne snapping.
Where Are The Glatzels and Arne Johnson Now?
Arne Johnson was convicted of manslaughter and only served five years in prison. During that time, he and Debbie got married, and they remained married until her passing. David Glatzel lives a quiet life now, according to Newsweek. All the attention and press that the Warrens put on this traumatizing event makes it understandable why he would want a life of solitude. Carl and David have since sued the Warrens, Brittle, and the publisher of the book that was written about their family. Even though the case was dismissed, the book was taken out of publication. David still believes he truly was possessed, but he still feels taken advantage of by the Warrens.
The Devil On Trial carefully explores family trauma that expands generations and even sticks its spindly roots out to affect other individuals and families as well. The documentary gets to the core of the believers and non-believers and reiterates that sometimes, two people’s interpretations of the truth can be immensely different.
The Devil On Trial is streaming on Netflix now.
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