In the summer of 1980 in the small town of Brookfield, Connecticut the shocking story of a young boy who was reported as being possessed by 42 demons was introduced to the world. According to The Devil Busted in Connecticut website "with the help of the Catholic Church and self proclaimed Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren several exorcisms were performed on the boy to free him of this diabolic bondage." (http://www.geocities.com/devilbustedinct/). This story was explored in the 1983 Gerald Brittle book "The Devil in Connecticut" and further explored in the TV rendition titled THE DEMON MURDER CASE.

Whatever happened to that boy and that family?

Today I would like to welcome Francis Richards, the author of the upcoming book "Alone Through The Valley". Francis alongside Carl Glatzel Jr. are in the process of writing their own rendition of the truth that exists behind this case. In an effort to "set the story straight", Carl Glatzel Jr. attempts to expose this story for what he believes it truly is!

Would you provide our readers who have not had the opportunity to read The Devil in Connecticut a brief synopsis of the book?

The Devil in Connecticut was originally published in 1983 by Gerald Brittle and Ed and Lorraine Warren. It tells the supposed “Terrifying True Case of Demonic Possession” that made headlines around the world in 1981 when nineteen year old Arne Johnson attempted to plead not guilty by virtue of demonic possession in the stabbing death of his landlord, 40 year old Alan Bono. According to the book, Arne was not responsible for the crime because he was possessed by demons as a direct result of challenging them to “take him on.” The challenges were made during exorcism attempts (courtesy of the Warrens) to free his girlfriend’s youngest brother, David Glatzel, of 42 demons (yes, 42).

The book more or less chronicles the supposed demonic haunting and then possession of young David, the oppression of Carl Jr., and the diabolic attack on the Glatzel family.

The book details the attempts made by the Catholic Church (unofficial) to free him using minor rites of exorcism, all of which failed. It was during these rites that Arne challenged the demons (a la Father Damian Karass in the Exorcist) and ultimately killed a man because of it.

The skeptical, non-believing, atheist judge threw the plea out of court and Arne was found guilty and charged with manslaughter, but only served five years (of course the book doesn’t mention that, instead stating the Devil had won and Arne was given the maximum penalty and his “life was ruined.”) Five years to me doesn’t seem quite enough to ruin a life, but that is the crux of the book.

The original edition is hard to find (not because lawyers for the Catholic Church had it squelched as the ads would like you to believe, but because it sold poorly and was pulled off the shelves to make room for books that would make money) and Carl and David successfully halted production of the 2006 edition after politely asking the authors to respect their privacy, which they ignored.

Would you also provide a brief synopsis of the upcoming book Alone Through The Valley?

Alone Through The Valley tells the other side of the story. The side not heard by the public from the people who should know best, Carl Jr., David, Carl Sr. and Judy Glatzel, the Brookfield police, the clergy in the Arch Diocese of Bridgeport, and other people mentioned in the book (not to mention Ray Garton, author of the Warren’s IN A DARK PLACE and other authors who have written for the Warrens or have been asked to write for the Warrens but declined after personally experiencing the fraud involved). The book simply tells the true facts behind the incidents and that in essence exposes the Warrens automatically. It is not a personal attack on anyone, nor is it the voice of skepticism or atheism, but simply facts which we can support, and like many books of this nature, we ask the intelligent reader to draw their own conclusions. It is not a book about devils or demons, but a book about dysfunction, manipulation, and exploitation. I think the public will find that the information contained in Alone Through the Valley will be enlightening, heart wrenching, and most of all, important when examining claims of the paranormal.

How has this book falsely portrayed David Glatzel and his family and what was the role of Ed and Lorraine Warren in this alleged injustice?

I spoke with both Carl Jr. and David about this question, and we all agreed that it shall be the American judicial system, for better or worse, that will answer this question. In the midst of a lawsuit, there is only so much that can be said without tipping your hand. We simply cannot divulge specific information, but suffice to say, when all is said and done, the public will eventually know the truth.

Why has Carl Glatzel waited so long to tell his story?

All was in the past and both Carl and David, despite the aftermath, simply let it go. But when Gerald Brittle, Ed and Lorraine, and Arne and Debbie Johnson decided to sign contracts to reissue the book on April 1, 2006 (note the irony of the date) without consent or knowledge from the rest of the family, they opened a can of worms. On top of that, they attempted to cut a deal with Hollywood to make a major motion picture, giving everyone a cut but Carl, David, and their parents. Let’s face facts: as I’ve mentioned before, even if the book WAS true and
Beelzebub liked to lounge around in rocking chairs and play with toy dinosaurs (yes, a plastic dinosaur came to life and threatened the family, similar to the ceramic lion that came to life and bit George Lutz in The Amityville Horror…are we seeing any similarities here?) what gives ANYBODY the right to put it in print without the consent of the main people involved? I challenge anybody to give a decent answer to that question.

What lesson do you believe does this particular case have to teach the paranormal community?

You simply CANNOT believe everything you read. Even if a title says “non fiction” or “a true story,” the loop holes in publishing allow them to lie to an extreme extent. It’s a dog eat dog world, and people are greedy. We should not let attempts to become rich or famous cloud the research that serious investigators dedicate a great amount of time and effort to when it comes to understanding the paranormal.Ghosts and demons may exist, they may be our imagination, or they may be something far beyond our understanding, but one thing is for sure, there was no Devil in Connecticut, and once we prove that, maybe we can filter our understanding of the paranormal and continue forward with clearer, honest, and open minds.