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This study examines how demonic possession claims function as criminal defenses and identifies factors influencing their success.

January 18, 2026Open Access

The Demonic Defense: A Forensic-Legal Analysis of Possession Claims in Criminal Proceedings Through the Psychopossession Framework

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Mixed-methods study analyzes demonic possession defenses in criminal cases, revealing factors predicting success.

This study examines how demonic possession claims function as criminal defenses and identifies factors influencing their success.
Analyzed 37 criminal cases involving possession defenses from 1974 to 2022, drawn from court records and legal databases.
Employed quantitative analyses, including descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression.
Conducted qualitative thematic analysis of judicial reasoning and defense strategies.
Overall defense success rate of 27.0% with significant variation based on case characteristics.
Dissociative features identified as the strongest predictor of defense success (OR = 23.0).
Post-arrest claims negatively impacted favorable outcomes.
Expert testimony present in 94.6% of cases, with psychiatric experts linked to higher success rates.

Laszlo Pokorny Dr. Laszlo Pokorny (2026) studied this question.

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