New Netflix docuseries is being released covering terrifying true story that inspired The Conjuring 3

For horror films to work, the audience has got to suspend their disbelief and really go with it.

That process is often helped when there's an air of truth to the story itself, which is exactly why the Conjuring series is one of the most popular horror franchises ever.

If you're a fan of the saga yourself, then this one is definitely for you, because Netflix is set to release what will no doubt be yet another twisted true crime documentary.

And it's all centred on the true story that inspired the third Conjuring movie, The Devil Made Me Do It, which came out in 2021.

Titled The Devil on Trial, the series will land on the streaming site in October.

Those of you who've seen the movie will have a good idea of the story, but this is how Netflix sets it up: "The Devil on Trial explores the first – and only – time 'demonic possession' has officially been used as a defense in a US murder trial.

"Including firsthand accounts of alleged devil possession and a shocking murder, this extraordinary story forces reflection on our fear of the unknown."

New Line Cinema

In 1981, Arne Cheyenne Johnson claimed he had been possessed by some supernatural entity that made him to murder his landlord Alan Bono.

Now, while that's a pretty wild defense by anyone's standards, it was officially put before the court, with the case going to trial.

But where does The Conjuring come into it, I hear you ask.

Well, an expert ghost hunting team were enlisted as part of the defense to prove Johnson's innocence.

Ed and Lorraine visited the family prior to the murder, having received reports that 11-year-old David Glatzel had been taken over by a demon.

New Line Cinema

According to their claims, after a series of desperate attempts to rid the child of the demon, it flew from his body and into Johnson.

And it was only a few months after the supernatural event that Johnson ended up killing his landlord, claiming he had been taken over by an otherworldly being.

In the end, the court did not believe Johnson's side of the story, and he was convicted of first-degree manslaughter.

Johnson would go on to serve just five years of his 10 to 20-year sentence.

The Devil on Trial is set to land on Netflix on 17 October.

Topics: US News, Crime, True crime, Netflix, Entertainment, Cannes Film Festival, Documentaries

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is the News/Agenda Desk Lead, covering the latest trends and breaking stories. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

@SmithersDom