What happens when someone claims they were possessed during a crime? In this episode of Journey to the Fringe, we explore the strange collision of demonic possession, criminal law, and insanity defenses. From the chilling Ossett murder case in England, to the infamous “Devil Made Me Do It” trial in Connecticut, to the Son of Sam killings and the execution of Sean Sellers, we uncover how courts wrestle with claims of the supernatural. Along the way, we examine the blurred lines between psychology, belief, and responsibility—and how possession defenses reveal society’s deepest fears about evil, madness, and free will.

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What happens when the defense in a murder trial isn’t insanity, self‑defense, or diminished capaci ...