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We've all seen
or heard about the movie,
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Of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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who lives and reigns
with the Father
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and the Holy Spirit!
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But now a mysterious diary
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reveals the true story
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00:00:25,559 --> 00:00:28,872
behind The Exorcist.
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I'm hearing it firsthand
from people who saw it,
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who saw a bed levitate.
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00:00:34,268 --> 00:00:38,749
Finally, rare,
unfiltered access into the real
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and most frightening exorcism
in America.
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The demon said to me,
"You can't get rid of us.
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You're not strong enough."
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And for the first time,
an eyewitness appears on camera
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to expose a shocking secret.
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According to the church,
somebody gave their life
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for the child.
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What really happened
to the haunted boy in St. Louis
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and the devil
that possessed him?
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December 26, 1973.
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The day after Christmas.
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Audiences wait in long lines
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for the much anticipated movie
"The Exorcist,"
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but no one
in their darkest nightmares
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can imagine
what they are about to see.
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I passed out in about
the first half-hour. Yeah.
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I don't know what
they should do with that movie,
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but I don't want
to see the rest of it.
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I fainted like 10 minutes after
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the first beginning
of the movie.
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"The Exorcist" follows
the story of a 12-year-old girl
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possessed by the devil
and the ghoulish horror
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facing the priests attempting
to save her.
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It's the power of Christ
that compels you.
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The power of Christ compels you!
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00:02:02,256 --> 00:02:05,535
Let the power of Christ
compel you!
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00:02:05,559 --> 00:02:08,271
The power of Christ compels you!
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The movie strikes at
one of our deepest anxieties,
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the fear of the devil.
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When she started talking like
devil coming out of her, bleh,
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my legs are just going, nrrrrr!
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And I want to go in the lobby
and not watch it
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00:02:23,611 --> 00:02:25,455
and I had to cover my ears.
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I can't even describe it.
It's so horrible.
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It just...
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I just scared me to death.
Things just like this,
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it just really
scared me to death.
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I'm just nervous.
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Are you going to go back in
and see more of the movie now?
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Probably, yeah.
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I would say that everything
in the movie can actually happen
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because the devil will play on a
person's memory and imagination.
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So head spinning,
pea soup flying,
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people crawling up the wall
like a spider,
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levitation, whatever it is,
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all of these things
are possible.
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After the release of the film,
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the Catholic Church notices
a spike in attendance.
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People come to profess their
sins and seek salvation
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through the ancient ritual
of exorcism.
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Aaaaaaah!
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After the movie comes out,
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the church sees this big uptick
in people
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thinking they need an exorcism.
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And priests are just getting
inundated with requests
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for investigations
of demonic possession.
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I command you, Satan, enemy
of human salvation
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acknowledge the justice
and goodness of God the father.
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I was able to learn firsthand
the church's ministry
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to those who were up
against the forces of evil
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and that were turning
to the church for help,
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saw many different
manifestations,
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everything from eyes rolled
in the back of the head,
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foaming at the mouth,
convulsing on the ground.
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00:04:02,276 --> 00:04:06,790
One occasion I even witnessed
a levitation.
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Exorcism is a powerful ritual.
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This is the belief of the church
that the devil will,
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in speaking through the body
of the possessed,
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will attempt to tear
down the priest,
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to destroy him physically
and emotionally.
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"The Exorcist" may be
the scariest movie of all time,
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and what makes it
even more frightening...
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The story is true.
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Writer William Peter Blatty
loosely bases his book
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and screenplay not about a girl,
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but the real life horror of
a 13-year-old boy from Maryland.
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He's often known as Roland Doe
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to protect his identity.
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William Peter Blatty
who writes "The Exorcist" book,
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which is published in 1971,
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was a student
at Georgetown University.
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00:05:02,369 --> 00:05:05,048
At the time,
he was an English major
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and at least one of the Jesuits
whom he knew
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at Georgetown was aware of this
and told him about it.
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William Peter Blatty, he had
a lot of privy to documents
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00:05:17,651 --> 00:05:20,897
that some of us may not have
had privy to that had to do
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00:05:20,921 --> 00:05:24,668
with possession
and exorcism and so on.
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And he had kept newspaper
clippings
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from Washington, D.C.,
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about this boy just outside
of Georgetown
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who had had these things
happening to him.
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But the book and movie
only tell half the story.
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Now the shocking discovery
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of a secret diary
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reveals chilling new details
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of the real exorcism case
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that happened over 70 years ago.
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January, 1949.
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Roland Doe, an only child,
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lives with his parents
in Cottage City, Maryland,
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a modest suburb outside
of Washington, D.C.
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00:06:16,844 --> 00:06:18,822
A lot of the people
that he went to school with,
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a lot of his former friends,
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people he knew growing up
always described him
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as being sort of hyper,
sort of troublesome.
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It wasn't that
he was a bad student.
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He just had a lot of trouble
focusing.
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Roland forges a close bond
with his Aunt Tillie,
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who lives in St. Louis.
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Tillie dabbles in spiritualism,
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a belief in communicating
with the dead.
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She teaches Roland
how to speak to spirits
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through a popular board game.
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Aunt Tillie no doubt
spoke to him
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about some of her
spiritual beliefs.
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They used this spirit board
or talking board.
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The talking board is a by-product
of the spiritualist movement.
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It's got the alphabet
printed on it.
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And on that talking board
is a little table
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called a planchette.
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And one, two, three,
or more people can put fingers
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on that planchette, and it moves
and spells out messages.
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But Roland and his
aunt have no idea
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they're opening a door
to the dark side.
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The aunt showed him
how to use the talking board.
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And there's a lot of people that
believe that was the invitation
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for the demon to step in.
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It all began in Roland's home
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on January 15, 1949.
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Roland's mother hears
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00:07:54,441 --> 00:07:57,687
what sounds like scratching
noises inside the walls.
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00:08:02,850 --> 00:08:05,495
When Roland's mother first
started talking about
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00:08:05,519 --> 00:08:07,397
the strange scratchings
to his father,
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he actually had someone come
in thinking that they had rats.
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An exterminator came in
to check the house,
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00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,672
couldn't find any signs
of anything.
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00:08:15,696 --> 00:08:18,274
So they're thinking
it's Roland acting up.
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He's doing things,
you know, to get attention.
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But as time went on,
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Roland's mother began to believe
the house was haunted.
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11 days after the
first scratching sounds occur,
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Roland receives devastating
news.
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His Aunt Tillie has died.
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Soon after her death,
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Roland and his mother
hear different noises,
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this time in his bedroom.
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Once Aunt Tillie passes away,
then everything
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starts to really ramp up.
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They hear what sounds
like troops marching
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towards Roland's bed.
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Everybody's frightened.
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There's knocks and bangs
on the wall.
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And Roland's mother screams out,
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00:09:12,619 --> 00:09:14,864
"Tillie, if that's you,
knock three times."
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And they claim
they heard three knocks.
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And so at this point, they start
making the connection,
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that it must be Aunt Tillie
paying some visitation,
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00:09:23,764 --> 00:09:26,609
something like that.
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00:09:26,633 --> 00:09:29,112
If the alarming sounds
truly come from the spirit
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00:09:29,136 --> 00:09:31,114
of Aunt Tillie,
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00:09:31,138 --> 00:09:35,485
why would she be tormenting
her beloved nephew, Roland?
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Is it possible the boy
might be attracting someone
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or something else?
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As things started
to happen in the house,
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according to his mother,
they were seeing,
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you know, dishes move around,
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things fly across the room,
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chairs that that would
spin around,
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00:09:52,659 --> 00:09:55,238
slide across the floor
almost every night
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00:09:55,262 --> 00:09:58,741
when Roland would go to bed.
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At first, everything
would be peaceful,
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00:10:00,701 --> 00:10:02,812
but then the bed
would start to shake.
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00:10:05,906 --> 00:10:08,518
But then it got worse, till
the mattress was bouncing
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00:10:08,542 --> 00:10:11,888
up and down, the headboard
was banging against the wall.
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And all of these things
were done with this skinny
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13-year-old kid huddled
in the middle of this bed.
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Beyond the scary
noises and shaking bed,
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00:10:22,322 --> 00:10:25,134
Roland awakens
in the middle of the night,
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00:10:25,158 --> 00:10:29,839
thrashing and screaming in a
voice that doesn't sound human.
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00:10:29,863 --> 00:10:33,076
And the boy would speak in
a very guttural kind of voice
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00:10:33,100 --> 00:10:35,411
that didn't quite seem
like the voice of a boy.
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00:10:35,435 --> 00:10:37,480
Maybe this was
an alternative personality.
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00:10:37,504 --> 00:10:39,582
Maybe this could
even be a demon.
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00:10:44,945 --> 00:10:47,624
People who had gone to
school with him years later
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talked about how they were
starting to hear
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00:10:50,550 --> 00:10:52,495
in the neighborhood,
about the things that were
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00:10:52,519 --> 00:10:53,963
going on at night.
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00:10:53,987 --> 00:10:56,232
They were hearing the yelling
and the screaming
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00:10:56,256 --> 00:10:58,434
and the banging
that was going on in the house.
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00:11:00,894 --> 00:11:03,773
And their parents
would talk about it.
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00:11:03,797 --> 00:11:07,243
They just thought there was
something wrong with this kid.
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00:11:07,267 --> 00:11:09,512
As rumors rippled
through the neighborhood,
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00:11:09,536 --> 00:11:12,315
Roland's classmates
witnessed bizarre phenomena
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00:11:12,339 --> 00:11:15,018
happening around him at school.
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00:11:15,042 --> 00:11:18,755
While he was in class, sometimes
his book would fly off the desk,
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00:11:18,779 --> 00:11:20,390
papers would fly
across the room.
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00:11:20,414 --> 00:11:21,724
There were a couple of instances
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00:11:21,748 --> 00:11:24,160
where his desk
was actually moving,
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00:11:24,184 --> 00:11:26,929
almost kind of vibrating
across the floor.
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00:11:26,953 --> 00:11:29,365
Well, the teachers accused him
of doing it, of course,
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00:11:29,389 --> 00:11:32,635
because, you know, this was
a kid who was kind of
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00:11:32,659 --> 00:11:36,139
high strung and pranks were not
out of the ordinary for him.
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00:11:36,163 --> 00:11:38,474
So they just assumed
he was acting up,
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00:11:38,498 --> 00:11:41,778
but he swore that he wasn't.
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00:11:41,802 --> 00:11:45,581
Can you imagine you're having
these horrible things
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00:11:45,605 --> 00:11:48,251
happening to you,
and you go to school,
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00:11:48,275 --> 00:11:51,054
and your peers see this,
and everybody thinks
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00:11:51,078 --> 00:11:53,956
you're just trying to get
attention.
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00:11:53,980 --> 00:11:56,793
What a horrible thing
to go through.
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00:11:56,817 --> 00:11:59,362
As his troubling
behavior escalates,
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00:11:59,386 --> 00:12:02,065
Roland stops going to school.
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00:12:02,089 --> 00:12:04,333
Could the boy be losing
his mind,
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00:12:04,357 --> 00:12:07,670
or has he conjured
an evil spirit
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00:12:07,694 --> 00:12:10,440
from the depths of hell?
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00:12:23,210 --> 00:12:25,988
The quaint Maryland
suburb of Cottage City
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00:12:26,012 --> 00:12:30,393
was once home to 13-year-old
Roland Doe,
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00:12:30,417 --> 00:12:34,330
a seemingly ordinary adolescent.
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00:12:34,354 --> 00:12:36,999
But back in February 1949,
229
00:12:37,023 --> 00:12:41,604
Roland's world
is suddenly torn apart.
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00:12:41,628 --> 00:12:45,208
Every evening,
he bursts into frenzied fits
231
00:12:45,232 --> 00:12:47,744
and when throttled awake
by a rattling bed
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00:12:47,768 --> 00:12:50,747
and recurring nightmares
of evil spirits.
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00:12:55,308 --> 00:12:58,321
I think that's when
things started to really get strange,
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00:12:58,345 --> 00:13:01,791
because it just
seemed impossible
235
00:13:01,815 --> 00:13:03,860
that he was doing these things.
236
00:13:08,722 --> 00:13:11,601
He was waking up,
going through these fits,
237
00:13:11,625 --> 00:13:15,338
these contortions
and screams and cries.
238
00:13:17,063 --> 00:13:19,008
Worried about his health,
239
00:13:19,032 --> 00:13:22,178
Roland's parents
take him to a doctor.
240
00:13:22,202 --> 00:13:24,447
Could their son's
nightly tantrums be the result
241
00:13:24,471 --> 00:13:28,618
of physical illness,
perhaps epilepsy?
242
00:13:28,642 --> 00:13:32,822
Possession could also be signs
that people exhibit
243
00:13:32,846 --> 00:13:34,791
if they have a physical issue,
244
00:13:34,815 --> 00:13:37,927
whether somebody is suffering
from seizures,
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00:13:37,951 --> 00:13:41,531
Tourette syndrome.
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00:13:41,555 --> 00:13:44,400
The church wants
to be very cautious
247
00:13:44,424 --> 00:13:46,702
because if I'm too quick
to label somebody
248
00:13:46,726 --> 00:13:50,173
as being possessed, and that
label prevents the person
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00:13:50,197 --> 00:13:53,676
from getting the true help
that they need,
250
00:13:53,700 --> 00:13:57,880
then I believe
I've done more harm than good.
251
00:13:57,904 --> 00:14:00,082
The medical doctor
can't find anything
252
00:14:00,106 --> 00:14:02,952
physically wrong with Roland.
253
00:14:02,976 --> 00:14:05,254
So his parents take him
to a psychiatrist.
254
00:14:05,278 --> 00:14:08,057
Perhaps their son
has a mental illness
255
00:14:08,081 --> 00:14:11,494
such as manic depression
or schizophrenia.
256
00:14:11,518 --> 00:14:15,731
This was 1949. So psychiatry
was not real developed,
257
00:14:15,755 --> 00:14:18,501
but nevertheless,
they could find nothing wrong
258
00:14:18,525 --> 00:14:20,937
with Roland at that time.
259
00:14:20,961 --> 00:14:23,573
So they also went
to see a psychologist,
260
00:14:23,597 --> 00:14:28,377
and he couldn't find out
anything wrong with him either.
261
00:14:28,401 --> 00:14:31,914
I think a lot of
therapists and psychologists
262
00:14:31,938 --> 00:14:35,484
and psychiatrists,
they really are very hesitant
263
00:14:35,508 --> 00:14:39,655
to endorse demonic possession
as a diagnosis.
264
00:14:42,249 --> 00:14:46,929
If someone had childhood trauma
or even current trauma,
265
00:14:46,953 --> 00:14:51,667
that could also mimic signs and
symptoms of demonic possession.
266
00:14:53,793 --> 00:14:57,940
In Roland's case,
no known medical records exist
267
00:14:57,964 --> 00:15:01,611
except for a psychiatrist
describing the boy as normal,
268
00:15:01,635 --> 00:15:05,147
but high strung.
269
00:15:05,171 --> 00:15:08,584
I don't think there is
an available
270
00:15:08,608 --> 00:15:14,090
psychological diagnosis that can
account for all of the things
271
00:15:14,114 --> 00:15:16,659
that have been reported
with this kid.
272
00:15:20,086 --> 00:15:22,832
Does that make me leaping
to the conclusion,
273
00:15:22,856 --> 00:15:26,936
"I'm 100 percent sure this is
a bona fide case of possession"?
274
00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,372
I don't know.
275
00:15:29,396 --> 00:15:33,509
But do we open the door
for the possibility
276
00:15:33,533 --> 00:15:35,511
is something maybe going on
277
00:15:35,535 --> 00:15:38,614
that's beyond
the scope of science?
278
00:15:44,344 --> 00:15:45,955
After consulting doctors,
279
00:15:45,979 --> 00:15:48,357
Roland's parents
turned to their minister,
280
00:15:48,381 --> 00:15:50,459
Reverend Luther Miles Schulze,
281
00:15:50,483 --> 00:15:54,864
the pastor at St. Stephen's
Evangelical Lutheran Church.
282
00:15:54,888 --> 00:15:58,067
Reverend Schulze
happened to be very interested
283
00:15:58,091 --> 00:16:00,536
in what is called
parapsychology.
284
00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:03,506
That's when these abnormal
things are happening
285
00:16:03,530 --> 00:16:08,878
around a person, and by some
mechanism we don't understand,
286
00:16:08,902 --> 00:16:12,782
internal turmoil
is expressed externally.
287
00:16:16,242 --> 00:16:19,121
Reverend Schulze
wonders if mischievous ghosts
288
00:16:19,145 --> 00:16:23,225
known as poltergeists could be
wreaking havoc in Roland's home.
289
00:16:26,186 --> 00:16:30,700
A poltergeist is energy
that causes things to happen,
290
00:16:30,724 --> 00:16:33,703
objects moving around,
lights turning on and off,
291
00:16:33,727 --> 00:16:36,305
doors opening and closing.
292
00:16:36,329 --> 00:16:38,441
The beginning of Roland's case,
293
00:16:38,465 --> 00:16:40,910
that's the things that were
starting to happen.
294
00:16:40,934 --> 00:16:44,947
Schulze was curious,
but also maybe a bit skeptical.
295
00:16:44,971 --> 00:16:48,985
Initially they wanted to
observe him outside of the home.
296
00:16:49,009 --> 00:16:51,687
So if there was something
happening in the home,
297
00:16:51,711 --> 00:16:54,857
is it just at the home?
298
00:16:54,881 --> 00:16:57,226
Reverend Schulze
believes poltergeists
299
00:16:57,250 --> 00:17:00,029
typically won't move
from house to house.
300
00:17:00,053 --> 00:17:02,498
So he comes up with a plan.
301
00:17:07,027 --> 00:17:10,673
Reverend Luther Schulze made an
arrangement for Roland to come
302
00:17:10,697 --> 00:17:12,675
and spend the night
at his house.
303
00:17:12,699 --> 00:17:16,145
His wife was going to sleep
in the guest room.
304
00:17:16,169 --> 00:17:19,448
They get into their separate
beds, and almost as soon
305
00:17:19,472 --> 00:17:21,650
as the lights are turned off,
306
00:17:21,674 --> 00:17:23,953
the bed starts vibrating.
307
00:17:27,180 --> 00:17:30,026
Now, Schulze is still thinking
this could be a prank.
308
00:17:30,050 --> 00:17:32,294
Well, when he realizes it's not
a prank,
309
00:17:32,318 --> 00:17:35,331
this skinny little kid
is making the entire bed shake,
310
00:17:35,355 --> 00:17:37,533
he said, "Okay.
I know how to solve this."
311
00:17:37,557 --> 00:17:40,569
Why don't you go sleep
in the armchair
312
00:17:40,593 --> 00:17:42,638
on the other side of the room?
313
00:17:45,298 --> 00:17:49,178
And no sooner than
things had calmed down again,
314
00:17:49,202 --> 00:17:52,448
the chair starts shaking.
315
00:17:52,472 --> 00:17:54,617
It starts bouncing so violently
316
00:17:54,641 --> 00:17:56,685
that the chair actually
tips over
317
00:17:56,709 --> 00:17:58,888
and dumps Roland out
on the floor.
318
00:18:02,782 --> 00:18:05,061
Stunned by what he's seeing,
319
00:18:05,085 --> 00:18:06,429
Reverend Schulze tells Roland
320
00:18:06,453 --> 00:18:10,166
to lie on a mattress
next to his bed.
321
00:18:10,190 --> 00:18:13,402
And then this mattress starts
sliding around on the floor,
322
00:18:13,426 --> 00:18:15,471
and he slid underneath the bed.
323
00:18:17,997 --> 00:18:20,209
Then started bouncing
up and down.
324
00:18:20,233 --> 00:18:23,212
And then smashing his face
on the bedsprings.
325
00:18:25,738 --> 00:18:28,517
Schulze said, well, this isn't
this isn't going to work.
326
00:18:28,541 --> 00:18:30,286
When returning home,
327
00:18:30,310 --> 00:18:33,222
Roland's condition
takes a terrifying turn.
328
00:18:35,415 --> 00:18:38,561
The minister claimed that three
scratches appeared
329
00:18:38,585 --> 00:18:41,230
on Roland's body
330
00:18:41,254 --> 00:18:44,366
and that happened four
consecutive nights in a row.
331
00:18:44,390 --> 00:18:46,102
And at this point,
they know this isn't normal.
332
00:18:46,126 --> 00:18:48,437
This isn't psychological
disorder.
333
00:18:48,461 --> 00:18:51,240
There's something diabolical
happening here.
334
00:18:51,264 --> 00:18:54,076
Reverend Schulze
no longer believes a poltergeist
335
00:18:54,100 --> 00:18:57,012
is pestering Roland.
336
00:18:57,036 --> 00:19:00,416
He said that this was getting
beyond what he could deal with.
337
00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:02,084
He was a Lutheran minister.
338
00:19:02,108 --> 00:19:04,286
He suggested
that the family take him
339
00:19:04,310 --> 00:19:05,855
to see a Catholic priest
340
00:19:05,879 --> 00:19:08,257
because they know more
about these things
341
00:19:08,281 --> 00:19:12,094
and more about possessions.
342
00:19:12,118 --> 00:19:13,462
Could the Catholic Church
343
00:19:13,486 --> 00:19:17,133
explain these
frightening manifestations?
344
00:19:17,157 --> 00:19:20,803
Roland's parents reach out
to Father Albert Hughes,
345
00:19:20,827 --> 00:19:25,040
an assistant priest
at St. James Catholic Church.
346
00:19:25,064 --> 00:19:29,979
They took Roland to see
this Catholic priest.
347
00:19:30,003 --> 00:19:34,116
What basically happened there
was that the priest reported
348
00:19:34,140 --> 00:19:40,055
that the temperature in the room
all of a sudden became very cold
349
00:19:40,079 --> 00:19:44,894
and he saw the telephone
go sliding across the desk.
350
00:19:44,918 --> 00:19:47,363
And the kid said something
along the lines,
351
00:19:47,387 --> 00:19:49,965
"Why bother me,
you priest of hell?"
352
00:19:52,091 --> 00:19:54,170
As Roland casts obscenities,
353
00:19:54,194 --> 00:19:58,607
Father Hughes senses
an evil presence in the boy,
354
00:19:58,631 --> 00:20:04,313
perhaps the devil himself.
355
00:20:04,337 --> 00:20:06,949
The devil is one of
the most interesting figures
356
00:20:06,973 --> 00:20:10,085
in mythology, in religion,
357
00:20:10,109 --> 00:20:13,088
in art, in popular culture
358
00:20:13,112 --> 00:20:14,256
because in the Bible,
359
00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,292
he's Satan, he's the opposer.
360
00:20:16,316 --> 00:20:20,095
He's the loyal opposition.
He's the other side.
361
00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:21,797
If you believe God is real,
362
00:20:21,821 --> 00:20:25,467
you almost have to accept
that the devil is also real.
363
00:20:25,491 --> 00:20:29,271
Catholics believe the
devil, also known as Lucifer,
364
00:20:29,295 --> 00:20:34,343
was an angel who defies God
and falls from grace.
365
00:20:34,367 --> 00:20:39,448
References to demonic spirits
appear often in religious texts.
366
00:20:39,472 --> 00:20:44,853
In Catholicism, the devil
personifies pure evil.
367
00:20:44,877 --> 00:20:49,425
The demonic spirit is bent
on creating havoc
368
00:20:49,449 --> 00:20:52,094
and wreaking havoc
in every aspect of your life
369
00:20:52,118 --> 00:20:55,631
and breaking you down.
370
00:20:55,655 --> 00:20:57,333
Breaking you down spiritually,
371
00:20:57,357 --> 00:20:59,268
emotionally, physically,
372
00:20:59,292 --> 00:21:01,203
mentally, psychologically.
373
00:21:01,227 --> 00:21:03,172
Just breaking you down.
374
00:21:03,196 --> 00:21:05,207
After observing
Roland's behavior,
375
00:21:05,231 --> 00:21:09,745
Father Hughes becomes convinced
the devil is possessing the boy.
376
00:21:09,769 --> 00:21:11,914
But why?
377
00:21:11,938 --> 00:21:14,917
When people are turning to
what I would call
378
00:21:14,941 --> 00:21:17,820
practices of the occult,
379
00:21:17,844 --> 00:21:20,756
doing seances, trying
to communicate with the dead,
380
00:21:20,780 --> 00:21:23,225
those are things that
we should not be doing
381
00:21:23,249 --> 00:21:26,095
because the devil
is an opportunist.
382
00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,697
If somebody is experiencing
some type of brokenness
383
00:21:28,721 --> 00:21:30,966
in their lives,
384
00:21:30,990 --> 00:21:33,736
even from a mental perspective,
385
00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,005
the devil could try to
386
00:21:36,029 --> 00:21:38,507
enter into the cracks,
if you will...
387
00:21:40,566 --> 00:21:43,846
...and fracture
the person even more.
388
00:21:43,870 --> 00:21:46,315
According to sources,
Father Hughes contacts
389
00:21:46,339 --> 00:21:50,953
Archbishop Patrick O'Boyle
of Washington, D.C.
390
00:21:50,977 --> 00:21:54,823
He thinks Roland
needs an exorcism.
391
00:21:54,847 --> 00:21:57,559
Father Hughes was very upset
by all this,
392
00:21:57,583 --> 00:22:00,729
and he thought right away
that it warranted a trip
393
00:22:00,753 --> 00:22:02,398
to see the archbishop.
394
00:22:02,422 --> 00:22:04,133
A priest can't randomly decide
395
00:22:04,157 --> 00:22:08,037
"I think this guy
needs to be exorcised."
396
00:22:08,061 --> 00:22:10,973
Father Hughes went to the
archbishop,
397
00:22:10,997 --> 00:22:15,044
and very reluctantly,
the archbishop was convinced
398
00:22:15,068 --> 00:22:18,347
that it was okay to go ahead
and do an exorcism.
399
00:22:23,776 --> 00:22:27,122
Sometime between
February 27th and March 6th,
400
00:22:27,146 --> 00:22:30,726
Father Hughes reportedly admits
Roland to Georgetown Hospital
401
00:22:30,750 --> 00:22:35,297
under an assumed name.
402
00:22:35,321 --> 00:22:37,399
While Roland's
strapped to a bed,
403
00:22:37,423 --> 00:22:41,170
Father Hughes reads
the prayers of exorcism,
404
00:22:41,194 --> 00:22:43,439
but it goes horribly wrong.
405
00:22:45,264 --> 00:22:49,144
Roland slips his hands
out of the restraints.
406
00:22:49,168 --> 00:22:51,947
The devil doesn't like
to be shackled.
407
00:23:04,550 --> 00:23:07,896
Georgetown Hospital
in Washington, D.C.
408
00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,834
becomes the scene of a nightmare
beyond imagination.
409
00:23:19,298 --> 00:23:22,845
Between late February
and early March of 1949,
410
00:23:22,869 --> 00:23:25,647
Father Albert Hughes,
a Jesuit priest,
411
00:23:25,671 --> 00:23:29,418
attempts to perform an exorcism
on 13-year-old Roland Doe
412
00:23:29,442 --> 00:23:32,688
in the hospital's
psychiatric ward.
413
00:23:32,712 --> 00:23:35,290
But as father Hughes
begins the ritual,
414
00:23:35,314 --> 00:23:40,095
Roland reportedly breaks free
of a hand restraint.
415
00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:43,599
There's an eyewitness
account from the Georgetown Hospital.
416
00:23:43,623 --> 00:23:47,202
Someone was there while
Father Hughes did the exorcism.
417
00:23:47,226 --> 00:23:49,571
And in the process
of the exorcism,
418
00:23:49,595 --> 00:23:52,074
the boy grabbed a spring
from the bed
419
00:23:52,098 --> 00:23:54,209
and sliced Father Hughes's arm.
420
00:24:00,673 --> 00:24:02,785
According to witnesses,
421
00:24:02,809 --> 00:24:07,790
Roland lacerates Father Hughes'
arm from shoulder to wrist
422
00:24:07,814 --> 00:24:10,993
requiring 100 stitches.
423
00:24:11,017 --> 00:24:14,096
People who knew Father Hughes
said that he was never the same
424
00:24:14,120 --> 00:24:17,199
after this and that he had
a problem with his arm.
425
00:24:23,863 --> 00:24:27,476
Days after being
discharged from Georgetown Hospital,
426
00:24:27,500 --> 00:24:30,312
Roland plunges deeper
into despair.
427
00:24:33,239 --> 00:24:35,117
When getting ready for bed,
428
00:24:35,141 --> 00:24:38,954
he glances in the mirror
and shrieks with horror.
429
00:24:44,984 --> 00:24:47,496
Bloody scratches appear
on his chest
430
00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:51,066
and seemed to form the word
"Louis."
431
00:24:52,892 --> 00:24:56,472
Roland's parents believe
the word is a sign.
432
00:24:56,496 --> 00:24:59,208
They have relatives
in St. Louis.
433
00:24:59,232 --> 00:25:03,045
They believe that since the
word Lewis did appear on his body,
434
00:25:03,069 --> 00:25:06,448
that maybe this evil spirit
was sending a message
435
00:25:06,472 --> 00:25:09,318
that you should take Roland
to St. Louis.
436
00:25:09,342 --> 00:25:11,553
In addition to his Aunt Tillie,
437
00:25:11,577 --> 00:25:14,823
who is deceased by this time
in early March of '49,
438
00:25:14,847 --> 00:25:18,760
Roland's father had a brother
who lived in St. Louis.
439
00:25:21,687 --> 00:25:25,200
I talked personally with a woman
440
00:25:25,224 --> 00:25:29,671
who was a best friend
of Roland's cousin,
441
00:25:29,695 --> 00:25:34,042
and she told me
that I can't possibly imagine
442
00:25:34,066 --> 00:25:35,611
the sense of chaos
443
00:25:35,635 --> 00:25:38,347
that was going on
with his family at that time.
444
00:25:40,139 --> 00:25:43,519
They purely were at the end
of their rope,
445
00:25:43,543 --> 00:25:45,220
maybe willing to do anything.
446
00:25:45,244 --> 00:25:47,356
I mean, they didn't have a plan.
447
00:25:51,250 --> 00:25:53,762
When they got on the train
to come to St. Louis,
448
00:25:53,786 --> 00:25:56,865
all they knew is they were
basing this on "Louis,"
449
00:25:56,889 --> 00:25:59,368
and they had relatives here
and thought maybe they could
450
00:25:59,392 --> 00:26:01,436
find some support and relief
451
00:26:01,460 --> 00:26:05,574
and help spiritually
from their relatives.
452
00:26:05,598 --> 00:26:08,210
This family, blue collar family,
453
00:26:08,234 --> 00:26:10,913
job in a postwar economy
454
00:26:10,937 --> 00:26:13,649
upended their entire life
455
00:26:13,673 --> 00:26:16,151
to move halfway across
the country
456
00:26:16,175 --> 00:26:20,956
on the off chance
that this might help.
457
00:26:20,980 --> 00:26:26,628
So whatever you believe in this,
something was happening.
458
00:26:26,652 --> 00:26:30,165
Something earth shattering
was happening to this family
459
00:26:30,189 --> 00:26:32,301
to make them do this.
460
00:26:34,594 --> 00:26:36,972
March 8, 1949.
461
00:26:36,996 --> 00:26:39,675
Once arriving in St. Louis,
462
00:26:39,699 --> 00:26:42,177
Roland and his parents
stay with relatives
463
00:26:42,201 --> 00:26:46,648
who are devout Catholics living
in the quiet suburb of Bel-Nor.
464
00:26:49,575 --> 00:26:53,789
The family hopes they left
the evil spirits behind,
465
00:26:53,813 --> 00:26:57,926
but the devil reportedly follows
Roland to St. Louis.
466
00:27:01,187 --> 00:27:03,999
So they moved to Bel-Nor,
467
00:27:04,023 --> 00:27:06,802
which was the home
of Roland's uncle,
468
00:27:06,826 --> 00:27:08,604
his father's brother.
469
00:27:08,628 --> 00:27:10,272
They were happy to help.
470
00:27:10,296 --> 00:27:12,374
They love the family.
They love Roland.
471
00:27:12,398 --> 00:27:16,678
But now Roland seemed very
different, especially at night.
472
00:27:16,702 --> 00:27:18,280
So he goes to bed,
473
00:27:18,304 --> 00:27:21,472
and immediately things start
happening.
474
00:27:25,878 --> 00:27:27,756
He starts screaming, howling.
475
00:27:27,780 --> 00:27:30,592
The bed's moving,
bouncing up and down.
476
00:27:30,616 --> 00:27:33,996
Things are flying around the
room, and this poor kid
477
00:27:34,020 --> 00:27:37,532
is terrified, and so is
the rest of the family.
478
00:27:43,496 --> 00:27:45,674
Roland had a cousin
who was seeing everything
479
00:27:45,698 --> 00:27:48,477
that was going on.
480
00:27:48,501 --> 00:27:50,445
She was going to
St. Louis University.
481
00:27:50,469 --> 00:27:53,515
She was Catholic.
482
00:27:53,539 --> 00:27:57,753
She goes to her professor
who was Father Bishop.
483
00:27:57,777 --> 00:27:59,187
And she tells him,
484
00:27:59,211 --> 00:28:01,390
"I think there's something
spiritually wrong
485
00:28:01,414 --> 00:28:04,960
with my cousin.
Will you come look at him?"
486
00:28:04,984 --> 00:28:08,130
Father Raymond Bishop
agrees to meet with Roland
487
00:28:08,154 --> 00:28:10,232
and observe
his nightly behavior.
488
00:28:14,427 --> 00:28:17,239
March 11, 1949.
489
00:28:17,263 --> 00:28:21,510
Father Bishop arrives at the
home of Roland's relatives.
490
00:28:21,534 --> 00:28:23,745
He brings along
Father William Bowdern,
491
00:28:23,769 --> 00:28:25,714
a respected Jesuit priest
at nearby
492
00:28:25,738 --> 00:28:28,283
St. Francis Xavier
College Church.
493
00:28:31,010 --> 00:28:34,089
I am the great niece
of Father William Bowdern,
494
00:28:34,113 --> 00:28:37,492
the Jesuit who was the exorcist.
495
00:28:37,516 --> 00:28:42,664
I grew up with this story
from the time I can remember.
496
00:28:42,688 --> 00:28:44,966
Uncle Bill was probably
one of the finest men
497
00:28:44,990 --> 00:28:48,603
I will ever be
privileged to know.
498
00:28:48,627 --> 00:28:52,374
He had the most rock
solid faith I've ever seen.
499
00:28:59,805 --> 00:29:02,117
As Roland prepares for bed,
500
00:29:02,141 --> 00:29:06,955
Father Bowdern reads
several prayers.
501
00:29:06,979 --> 00:29:10,525
Roland appears calm.
502
00:29:10,549 --> 00:29:13,228
After observing Roland
for nearly an hour,
503
00:29:13,252 --> 00:29:16,298
Father's Bowdern and Bishop
witnessed no dramatic signs
504
00:29:16,322 --> 00:29:19,034
of demonic possession.
505
00:29:19,058 --> 00:29:21,470
But as soon
as the priests leave...
506
00:29:23,696 --> 00:29:25,907
...all hell breaks loose.
507
00:29:36,909 --> 00:29:40,789
8435, Roanoke Drive,
Bel-Nor, Missouri.
508
00:29:43,249 --> 00:29:47,195
All is not right in this
seemingly normal suburban home.
509
00:29:51,557 --> 00:29:54,302
March 11, 1949.
510
00:29:54,326 --> 00:29:56,671
Sometime after 11:00 p.m.,
511
00:29:56,695 --> 00:30:00,142
Jesuit priests William Bowdern
and Raymond Bishop
512
00:30:00,166 --> 00:30:04,212
finished reciting prayers
over 13-year-old Roland Doe.
513
00:30:07,673 --> 00:30:10,085
After observing
no significant signs
514
00:30:10,109 --> 00:30:13,955
of demonic possession,
515
00:30:13,979 --> 00:30:16,258
the priests no sooner leave
516
00:30:16,282 --> 00:30:19,461
when loud noises resound
from the boy's room.
517
00:30:25,157 --> 00:30:27,602
A bottle of holy water
on the nightstand
518
00:30:27,626 --> 00:30:30,138
mysteriously hurls
across the room.
519
00:30:34,166 --> 00:30:36,878
While Roland tries
to fall back asleep,
520
00:30:36,902 --> 00:30:41,049
a bookcase somehow moves
and blocks the bedroom door.
521
00:30:45,311 --> 00:30:49,191
So the priests went back,
and once again witnessed
522
00:30:49,215 --> 00:30:51,493
all of the strange activity.
523
00:30:54,987 --> 00:30:57,399
And at this point,
even Father Bowdern
524
00:30:57,423 --> 00:30:59,534
started to believe that perhaps
525
00:30:59,558 --> 00:31:03,171
there was some sort
of demonic activity.
526
00:31:09,134 --> 00:31:11,179
Knowing little about exorcisms,
527
00:31:11,203 --> 00:31:14,382
Father Bowdern consults
the Roman Ritual.
528
00:31:17,610 --> 00:31:20,522
A 17th-century manual
detailing the rules,
529
00:31:20,546 --> 00:31:23,558
prayers, and procedures
of the ancient Catholic rite
530
00:31:23,582 --> 00:31:26,661
of exorcism.
531
00:31:26,685 --> 00:31:31,900
I use mainly
the Roman exorcism ritual.
532
00:31:31,924 --> 00:31:36,538
The exorcism consists mainly
in praying.
533
00:31:36,562 --> 00:31:40,775
I command thee,
in the name of the Father
534
00:31:40,799 --> 00:31:44,579
and of the Son, I exorcise thee.
535
00:31:44,603 --> 00:31:46,615
Let thou depart!
536
00:31:50,175 --> 00:31:53,555
Exorcism is almost
as old as religion itself.
537
00:31:55,447 --> 00:31:59,628
The Bible contains vivid stories
of Jesus performing exorcisms
538
00:31:59,652 --> 00:32:03,265
on the demonically possessed.
539
00:32:03,289 --> 00:32:06,501
When I was first appointed,
I became one of about 12
540
00:32:06,525 --> 00:32:09,371
officially appointed exorcists
in the United States.
541
00:32:09,395 --> 00:32:14,476
Today, I think that number
is around 125.
542
00:32:14,500 --> 00:32:15,777
The pope is an exorcist
543
00:32:15,801 --> 00:32:19,614
because he is the supreme
shepherd of the church.
544
00:32:19,638 --> 00:32:22,250
I think there is examples
of Pope John Paul II
545
00:32:22,274 --> 00:32:25,153
performing exorcisms.
546
00:32:28,314 --> 00:32:31,860
It will become
our spiritual drink.
547
00:32:41,260 --> 00:32:43,405
According
to the Catholic Church,
548
00:32:43,429 --> 00:32:46,541
Father Bowdern must prove
that Roland is moving along
549
00:32:46,565 --> 00:32:49,778
the classic path
to full demonic possession.
550
00:32:52,905 --> 00:32:54,950
The church identifies four
different types
551
00:32:54,974 --> 00:32:57,352
of extraordinary
demonic activity.
552
00:32:57,376 --> 00:32:59,454
There can be
demonic infestation,
553
00:32:59,478 --> 00:33:02,891
which is the presence of evil
in a location or an object.
554
00:33:05,017 --> 00:33:07,028
There can be demonic vexation.
555
00:33:09,688 --> 00:33:12,734
Which somebody believes they are
experiencing physical attacks
556
00:33:12,758 --> 00:33:14,736
from a demon.
557
00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:18,773
There can be demonic obsession,
which are mental attacks.
558
00:33:20,733 --> 00:33:23,244
And then demonic possession
itself,
559
00:33:23,268 --> 00:33:26,414
whereby a demon will take
control of a person's body,
560
00:33:26,438 --> 00:33:28,650
treating their body
as if it were its own.
561
00:33:31,110 --> 00:33:32,821
Roland reportedly experienced
562
00:33:32,845 --> 00:33:37,292
the first three stages
of demonic activity.
563
00:33:37,316 --> 00:33:39,160
Perhaps an exorcism
can prevent him
564
00:33:39,184 --> 00:33:41,529
from complete
diabolical possession.
565
00:33:45,958 --> 00:33:49,070
When it comes to doing
formal exorcisms
566
00:33:49,094 --> 00:33:51,072
for people who are possessed,
567
00:33:51,096 --> 00:33:53,975
probably around 12 cases
is all that I have done
568
00:33:53,999 --> 00:33:57,278
over the last 15 years.
569
00:33:57,302 --> 00:34:01,383
When it comes to exorcisms
for infestation,
570
00:34:01,407 --> 00:34:03,752
vexation, and obsession,
571
00:34:03,776 --> 00:34:05,120
there would be
thousands of those
572
00:34:05,144 --> 00:34:07,255
that I've done over the years.
573
00:34:11,316 --> 00:34:14,129
Following church
protocol, Father Bowdern
574
00:34:14,153 --> 00:34:18,700
contacts Archbishop
Joseph Ritter of St. Louis.
575
00:34:18,724 --> 00:34:22,137
He requests an exorcism
to be performed on Roland,
576
00:34:22,161 --> 00:34:26,274
but tells the archbishop
to choose another priest.
577
00:34:26,298 --> 00:34:28,977
Father Bowdern didn't really
want anything to do
578
00:34:29,001 --> 00:34:30,178
with this exorcism.
579
00:34:30,202 --> 00:34:32,380
He knew he wasn't
qualified for it.
580
00:34:32,404 --> 00:34:35,316
He didn't feel that he was
in a right place
581
00:34:35,340 --> 00:34:38,753
spiritually to be an exorcist.
But he wasn't given any choice.
582
00:34:38,777 --> 00:34:42,924
The archbishop just simply
told him, "You have to do this."
583
00:34:46,018 --> 00:34:48,963
When it came back to the
fact that this was going
584
00:34:48,987 --> 00:34:52,700
to be a case of exorcism,
the bishop requested Uncle Bill
585
00:34:52,724 --> 00:34:55,170
specifically to carry
on the exorcism.
586
00:34:55,194 --> 00:34:56,905
He didn't believe
that he should,
587
00:34:56,929 --> 00:34:59,574
but he was requested
by his bishop, and so he did.
588
00:35:01,733 --> 00:35:04,345
The Archbishop
grants Father Bowdern
589
00:35:04,369 --> 00:35:07,682
permission to perform
the rite of exorcism.
590
00:35:07,706 --> 00:35:10,018
Now we're talking about
something that's officially
591
00:35:10,042 --> 00:35:11,853
sanctioned by the church,
592
00:35:11,877 --> 00:35:16,257
and this is not something
that the church takes lightly.
593
00:35:16,281 --> 00:35:18,393
In the eyes
of the Catholic Church,
594
00:35:18,417 --> 00:35:21,796
evil walks the earth,
595
00:35:21,820 --> 00:35:26,034
and only faith can combat it.
596
00:35:26,058 --> 00:35:29,771
In Roland Doe's case,
Father Bowdern realizes
597
00:35:29,795 --> 00:35:34,509
he's about to do battle
with Satan himself.
598
00:35:48,447 --> 00:35:50,425
This suburban St. Louis home
599
00:35:50,449 --> 00:35:53,561
was once the scene
of unspeakable horror.
600
00:35:56,889 --> 00:35:59,834
March 16, 1949.
601
00:35:59,858 --> 00:36:02,137
Jesuit priest
Father William Bowdern
602
00:36:02,161 --> 00:36:05,206
arrives at the residence
of Roland Doe's relatives
603
00:36:05,230 --> 00:36:08,343
to carry out the first exorcism.
604
00:36:08,367 --> 00:36:10,712
Father Raymond Bishop
and Walter Halloran,
605
00:36:10,736 --> 00:36:13,014
a seminary student at the time,
606
00:36:13,038 --> 00:36:15,517
volunteered to assist
with the solemn ritual
607
00:36:15,541 --> 00:36:17,785
of the Catholic Church.
608
00:36:17,809 --> 00:36:19,888
The priests are aware
of the risks.
609
00:36:19,912 --> 00:36:23,091
The devil could also
take possession of them,
610
00:36:23,115 --> 00:36:25,193
but they're determined
to purge the demon
611
00:36:25,217 --> 00:36:27,462
from 13-year-old Roland,
612
00:36:27,486 --> 00:36:30,999
no matter how long
or whatever the cost.
613
00:36:32,958 --> 00:36:36,437
Bowdern went through a series
of preparations
614
00:36:36,461 --> 00:36:38,473
in order to do this exorcism.
615
00:36:40,499 --> 00:36:44,779
The idea of a big shootout
at noon with this demon,
616
00:36:44,803 --> 00:36:48,316
so to speak,
was not on his agenda.
617
00:36:48,340 --> 00:36:50,185
He wasn't thinking
this way at all.
618
00:36:50,209 --> 00:36:54,222
In fact, he approached the whole
case with fear and trembling.
619
00:36:57,015 --> 00:36:59,127
The archbishop instructs
the priests
620
00:36:59,151 --> 00:37:02,997
to maintain the utmost secrecy
about the exorcism,
621
00:37:03,021 --> 00:37:07,268
but Father Bowdern insists
Father Bishop keep a diary...
622
00:37:07,292 --> 00:37:09,103
A rare, detailed testament
623
00:37:09,127 --> 00:37:12,473
to the events
that are about to unfold.
624
00:37:12,497 --> 00:37:14,509
I think Bowdern was
certainly aware from the very beginning
625
00:37:14,533 --> 00:37:15,944
this was an extreme case,
626
00:37:15,968 --> 00:37:18,813
and so I think Bowdern
just wanted to have
627
00:37:18,837 --> 00:37:22,550
some type of documentation
as to what happened.
628
00:37:22,574 --> 00:37:24,686
The idea was to take this diary
629
00:37:24,710 --> 00:37:28,756
and make it a how-to manual
for the next priests
630
00:37:28,780 --> 00:37:32,193
that came along that found
themselves in the same boat.
631
00:37:32,217 --> 00:37:35,897
Because people weren't
being trained to be exorcists.
632
00:37:35,921 --> 00:37:39,434
In preparation, Father Bowdern
lays out religious items
633
00:37:39,458 --> 00:37:44,906
needed for the exorcism...
Holy water, a crucifix,
634
00:37:44,930 --> 00:37:47,875
a long purple stole
to wrap around the priest
635
00:37:47,899 --> 00:37:50,144
and the possessed,
636
00:37:50,168 --> 00:37:51,813
and a Roman Ritual,
637
00:37:51,837 --> 00:37:54,816
the official manual of exorcism
rites.
638
00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:57,552
At its very core,
an exorcism is a prayer.
639
00:37:57,576 --> 00:38:01,389
It's a very special prayer
that is meant to help somebody
640
00:38:01,413 --> 00:38:04,459
who is being afflicted
by the demonic.
641
00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:10,498
There's the laying on the hands
642
00:38:10,522 --> 00:38:12,700
on the head of the person
who's possessed,
643
00:38:12,724 --> 00:38:17,238
invoking the Holy Spirit,
breathing on the face.
644
00:38:17,262 --> 00:38:19,474
According to the exorcists'
diary,
645
00:38:19,498 --> 00:38:22,210
as Father Bowdern recites
the prayers in Latin,
646
00:38:22,234 --> 00:38:24,379
the priest shriek with horror...
647
00:38:26,305 --> 00:38:29,584
...as bloody scratches suddenly
appear on Roland's body.
648
00:38:32,978 --> 00:38:36,357
These scratches caused
red marks on the body
649
00:38:36,381 --> 00:38:40,595
and caused a small amount
of blood to flow.
650
00:38:40,619 --> 00:38:42,930
Roland recoiled
under the evident pain
651
00:38:42,954 --> 00:38:45,433
as each mark was made.
652
00:38:48,527 --> 00:38:52,273
And usually the manifestations
will begin immediately.
653
00:38:54,933 --> 00:38:57,245
Because what the church
is doing in the right
654
00:38:57,269 --> 00:39:00,248
is forcing the demon
to reveal itself,
655
00:39:00,272 --> 00:39:02,817
because once the demon
reveals itself,
656
00:39:02,841 --> 00:39:05,753
then the battle against it
begins.
657
00:39:05,777 --> 00:39:07,855
But the demon possessing Roland
658
00:39:07,879 --> 00:39:10,892
refuses to divulge its identity.
659
00:39:10,916 --> 00:39:14,629
It really is a battle.
The demon inside of Roland
660
00:39:14,653 --> 00:39:15,830
is fighting back at the priests,
661
00:39:15,854 --> 00:39:18,800
whatever relics are being
placed on or near him.
662
00:39:18,824 --> 00:39:22,570
He's pushing back
in however way he can.
663
00:39:22,594 --> 00:39:26,107
Then the priests
witness something beyond belief.
664
00:39:28,166 --> 00:39:30,912
The word "Hell" appears
on Roland's chest
665
00:39:30,936 --> 00:39:35,016
as if it's been branded
onto his skin with a hot iron.
666
00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:38,753
They were a burned
kind of brand.
667
00:39:38,777 --> 00:39:41,222
I would say that
it was like words
668
00:39:41,246 --> 00:39:45,560
that were appearing from
underneath onto the surface,
669
00:39:45,584 --> 00:39:48,496
but they were very red
and rashlike.
670
00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,265
The priests had been
observing the boy's hands
671
00:39:51,289 --> 00:39:54,102
at all time
and realized there's no way
672
00:39:54,126 --> 00:39:58,473
Roland could have made
those markings on his own body.
673
00:39:58,497 --> 00:40:00,375
Father Lampert,
who's experienced
674
00:40:00,399 --> 00:40:02,210
in the rite of exorcism,
675
00:40:02,234 --> 00:40:05,146
believes it's the devil's way
of inciting terror.
676
00:40:07,406 --> 00:40:11,686
The manifestations are
really meant to instill fear
677
00:40:11,710 --> 00:40:14,555
either in me or in other people
that are present
678
00:40:14,579 --> 00:40:17,291
because the devil wants
to convince us
679
00:40:17,315 --> 00:40:20,895
that he has the upper hand.
680
00:40:20,919 --> 00:40:23,131
Another case of when the demon
manifested,
681
00:40:23,155 --> 00:40:24,999
their eyes actually turned green
682
00:40:25,023 --> 00:40:27,735
and their pupils became slanted
like a serpent.
683
00:40:27,759 --> 00:40:30,705
And the demon said to me,
"You can't get rid of us.
684
00:40:30,729 --> 00:40:33,975
We've been here too long,
and you're not strong enough."
685
00:40:37,102 --> 00:40:40,448
After almost nine
hours of hostile resistance,
686
00:40:40,472 --> 00:40:44,786
Roland collapses
and falls asleep.
687
00:40:44,810 --> 00:40:46,621
Father Bowdern
really didn't think
688
00:40:46,645 --> 00:40:50,224
the possession set in
with Roland,
689
00:40:50,248 --> 00:40:55,062
which is interesting,
until the first exorcism began.
690
00:40:55,086 --> 00:40:58,166
That's when they think
the possessor really took hold
691
00:40:58,190 --> 00:41:00,134
for whatever reason.
692
00:41:00,158 --> 00:41:03,638
The exorcism provoked
the devil within Roland,
693
00:41:03,662 --> 00:41:07,074
and now the demon
refuses to leave.
694
00:41:07,098 --> 00:41:11,412
The priest's realize it will
take more than one night
695
00:41:11,436 --> 00:41:13,915
to purge the evil spirit
from the boy.
696
00:41:15,774 --> 00:41:20,087
In a movie, when an exorcism
takes place in 15 minutes,
697
00:41:20,111 --> 00:41:22,857
it loses a lot of its reality
because, you know,
698
00:41:22,881 --> 00:41:24,892
when you hear about them
in real life,
699
00:41:24,916 --> 00:41:27,495
they go on for months.
700
00:41:27,519 --> 00:41:29,997
Some that allegedly
have gone on for years.
701
00:41:35,393 --> 00:41:38,239
After two nights of exorcisms,
702
00:41:38,263 --> 00:41:42,009
Roland Doe spends the day
like a typical 13-year-old
703
00:41:42,033 --> 00:41:45,312
and acting as
if nothing has happened.
704
00:41:45,336 --> 00:41:48,349
His relatives think
the exorcisms are working,
705
00:41:48,373 --> 00:41:52,420
but that evening,
his mood suddenly changes.
706
00:41:54,045 --> 00:41:58,993
When the priests arrive to
continue the exorcism rituals,
707
00:41:59,017 --> 00:42:03,865
Roland transforms into a rabid
creature,
708
00:42:03,889 --> 00:42:09,504
snarling and biting
the man holding him down.
709
00:42:09,528 --> 00:42:11,472
Father Bishop
and Father Bowdern would borrow
710
00:42:11,496 --> 00:42:14,275
some relics, pin them to
Roland's pillow,
711
00:42:14,299 --> 00:42:17,712
hoping any of these things
would have a positive influence
712
00:42:17,736 --> 00:42:19,914
on what was going on.
713
00:42:22,574 --> 00:42:23,885
Amid the hysteria,
714
00:42:23,909 --> 00:42:26,420
Roland suddenly
makes vomiting gestures
715
00:42:26,444 --> 00:42:29,090
and asks for the window
to be opened.
716
00:42:29,114 --> 00:42:32,860
Roland said that he believed
that the demon was leaving him
717
00:42:32,884 --> 00:42:35,329
and actually had them
throw open the windows
718
00:42:35,353 --> 00:42:37,632
so that he could purge it
from his body,
719
00:42:37,656 --> 00:42:41,135
figuratively and literally
get rid of this demon.
720
00:42:42,827 --> 00:42:46,941
He said sweetly,
"He's going. He's going.
721
00:42:46,965 --> 00:42:50,077
Finally, there he goes."
722
00:42:53,805 --> 00:42:57,818
If a person during the exorcism
feels that he must vomit,
723
00:42:57,842 --> 00:43:00,521
he does vomit
during the exorcism.
724
00:43:00,545 --> 00:43:03,357
It happens quite frequently.
725
00:43:03,381 --> 00:43:04,592
Quite frequently.
726
00:43:04,616 --> 00:43:07,628
And it's a form of liberation.
727
00:43:07,652 --> 00:43:09,263
As Roland falls asleep,
728
00:43:09,287 --> 00:43:11,599
Father Bowdern leaves the house
for the night
729
00:43:11,623 --> 00:43:15,136
thinking the boy finally
purged the demon.
730
00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:18,105
But he is dead wrong.
731
00:43:21,266 --> 00:43:22,443
About 2:00 a.m.,
732
00:43:22,467 --> 00:43:26,414
Roland felt strange sensations
in his stomach,
733
00:43:26,438 --> 00:43:30,484
and in a few moments,
he began to call out fearfully.
734
00:43:30,508 --> 00:43:33,521
"He's coming back!
He's coming back."
735
00:43:33,545 --> 00:43:38,960
Father Bowdern
was called at 3:15 a.m.
736
00:43:38,984 --> 00:43:40,962
If you have someone
possessed by the devil
737
00:43:40,986 --> 00:43:42,997
and there's an exorcism
being performed
738
00:43:43,021 --> 00:43:44,332
and that's unpleasant
for the devil,
739
00:43:44,356 --> 00:43:48,202
they might might want
to throw you off the trail.
740
00:43:48,226 --> 00:43:51,439
The sense that,
"Well, this is over.
741
00:43:51,463 --> 00:43:53,841
"This is ending," only
for the priest to leave
742
00:43:53,865 --> 00:43:57,545
and things to begin again.
743
00:43:57,569 --> 00:43:59,246
The demons are doing
these things
744
00:43:59,270 --> 00:44:03,317
to try to get the upper hand,
745
00:44:03,341 --> 00:44:06,854
and I did work with somebody who
was possessed by seven demons.
746
00:44:06,878 --> 00:44:09,924
The weakest of the demons
are always the first to go.
747
00:44:09,948 --> 00:44:13,327
But a demon that's more dominant
will be the last to go.
748
00:44:17,088 --> 00:44:20,334
Roland's nightmare
is far from over.
749
00:44:20,358 --> 00:44:22,837
As the exorcisms continue,
750
00:44:22,861 --> 00:44:27,308
eyewitnesses both in and outside
the inner circle of priests
751
00:44:27,332 --> 00:44:32,346
witness an otherworldly sight
that rattles them to the core.
752
00:44:48,720 --> 00:44:52,333
Bel-Nor, Missouri,
will forever be linked
753
00:44:52,357 --> 00:44:55,469
to the most chilling exorcism
case in America
754
00:44:55,493 --> 00:44:57,672
and inspiration for the horror
755
00:44:57,696 --> 00:44:59,573
classic "The Exorcist."
756
00:45:06,805 --> 00:45:10,885
March 20, 1949, day five.
757
00:45:10,909 --> 00:45:13,688
13-year-old Roland Doe
and his parents are staying
758
00:45:13,712 --> 00:45:17,658
in a St. Louis suburb with
relatives.
759
00:45:17,682 --> 00:45:20,561
They're hoping Catholic exorcist
Father William Bowdern
760
00:45:20,585 --> 00:45:23,664
can expel the demon
that's possessing Roland.
761
00:45:25,890 --> 00:45:28,402
But Father Bowdern
and the assisting priests
762
00:45:28,426 --> 00:45:32,606
continue to confront
disturbing behavior.
763
00:45:32,630 --> 00:45:36,010
During one of
the nightly exorcisms,
764
00:45:36,034 --> 00:45:39,113
Father Walter Halloran recalls
a startling sight.
765
00:45:49,380 --> 00:45:51,659
I started interviewing
Father Halloran
766
00:45:51,683 --> 00:45:53,094
toward the end of his life.
767
00:45:53,118 --> 00:45:56,530
He said "One night, I was down
at the end of the bed"
768
00:45:56,554 --> 00:46:01,869
and I watched the bed levitate
eight inches off the floor.
769
00:46:05,163 --> 00:46:08,075
And slam back down again.
770
00:46:08,099 --> 00:46:10,277
I'm hearing it firsthand
from people who saw it,
771
00:46:10,301 --> 00:46:11,746
who saw a bed levitate.
772
00:46:11,770 --> 00:46:14,715
Could there be
a natural explanation for it?
773
00:46:14,739 --> 00:46:17,118
Maybe as unbelievable
as believing it's a demon.
774
00:46:17,142 --> 00:46:18,652
I don't know.
775
00:46:18,676 --> 00:46:20,721
But that's some strange things
that were going on in there.
776
00:46:20,745 --> 00:46:23,457
And they were seeing it
every single night.
777
00:46:26,584 --> 00:46:28,896
Levitation also is
rumored to be witnessed
778
00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:33,167
by someone outside
the inner sanctum of priests.
779
00:46:33,191 --> 00:46:35,536
Roland's family
reportedly invites scientist
780
00:46:35,560 --> 00:46:40,207
and mathematician Frank Bubb
to observe the possessed boy.
781
00:46:40,231 --> 00:46:43,310
Bubb worked on the top-secret
Manhattan Project,
782
00:46:43,334 --> 00:46:45,513
creating the world's
first atomic bomb.
783
00:46:51,509 --> 00:46:54,789
The professor, he saw something
there that deeply disturbed him.
784
00:47:01,719 --> 00:47:05,399
Supposedly, what he saw
was a nightstand levitate.
785
00:47:05,423 --> 00:47:08,869
He would later be reported
to say something along the lines
786
00:47:08,893 --> 00:47:10,838
that we still had a lot
to discover
787
00:47:10,862 --> 00:47:12,907
regarding electromagnetism.
788
00:47:20,905 --> 00:47:24,084
Scientists have found
ways to levitate objects
789
00:47:24,108 --> 00:47:28,322
if placed in a strong enough
magnetic field.
790
00:47:28,346 --> 00:47:30,357
But Roland's family wonders
791
00:47:30,381 --> 00:47:34,128
if levitation also can be
a tool of the devil.
792
00:47:38,823 --> 00:47:41,602
Roland's family were
all there in the house,
793
00:47:41,626 --> 00:47:45,973
and he was becoming more and
more volatile as this went on.
794
00:47:45,997 --> 00:47:48,209
So Father Bowdern
and Father Bishop
795
00:47:48,233 --> 00:47:52,146
thought that perhaps moving him
to another location
796
00:47:52,170 --> 00:47:54,348
might help things.
797
00:47:57,175 --> 00:48:00,221
Father Bowdern
transfers Roland to the rectory
798
00:48:00,245 --> 00:48:02,957
at St. Francis Xavier College
Church
799
00:48:02,981 --> 00:48:06,861
on the campus
of St. Louis University.
800
00:48:06,885 --> 00:48:11,999
But Roland's haunting outbursts
draw unwanted attention.
801
00:48:12,023 --> 00:48:15,135
Students were talking about
what was going on
802
00:48:15,159 --> 00:48:17,705
at the rectory at night
because the lights were on,
803
00:48:17,729 --> 00:48:19,139
the windows were thrown open,
804
00:48:19,163 --> 00:48:20,975
and people are out
walking around in the evening.
805
00:48:20,999 --> 00:48:24,044
They're hearing screaming,
animal noises,
806
00:48:24,068 --> 00:48:27,448
shouting,
and all kinds of things.
807
00:48:27,472 --> 00:48:30,584
And it was attracting
attention on campus.
808
00:48:42,520 --> 00:48:43,931
Inside the church rectory,
809
00:48:43,955 --> 00:48:46,934
the priests keep a detailed
diary of the horror
810
00:48:46,958 --> 00:48:51,338
as Roland displays the telltale
sign of possession...
811
00:48:51,362 --> 00:48:54,008
Unnatural human strength.
812
00:48:54,032 --> 00:48:56,944
Sometimes they can get
incredibly strong.
813
00:48:56,968 --> 00:48:59,013
It's unclear if it's adrenaline
814
00:48:59,037 --> 00:49:03,384
or just superhuman
kind of a strength.
815
00:49:03,408 --> 00:49:06,020
But often times we'll have
to put hands on,
816
00:49:06,044 --> 00:49:08,756
and sometimes it has been known
to happen
817
00:49:08,780 --> 00:49:11,558
that they'll kind of break
free of the restraints
818
00:49:11,582 --> 00:49:13,827
and even the people
holding them.
819
00:49:13,851 --> 00:49:15,896
And you have to be very careful.
820
00:49:21,759 --> 00:49:24,939
As Father Bowdern
repeats the exorcism prayers,
821
00:49:24,963 --> 00:49:27,675
three men can barely
restrain Roland
822
00:49:27,699 --> 00:49:30,978
as he wildly swings his fists
and throws a punch...
823
00:49:32,770 --> 00:49:37,017
...to Father Halloran's face.
824
00:49:37,041 --> 00:49:39,286
The priests now believe
that the demon
825
00:49:39,310 --> 00:49:42,222
behind Roland's
violent bloody attacks
826
00:49:42,246 --> 00:49:44,425
is just getting started.
827
00:49:58,196 --> 00:50:03,677
St. Louis, Missouri,
March 23, 1949.
828
00:50:03,701 --> 00:50:07,481
After a week
of grueling exorcisms,
829
00:50:07,505 --> 00:50:09,817
the priests move Roland Doe
to the rectory
830
00:50:09,841 --> 00:50:12,586
at St. Francis Xavier
College Church
831
00:50:12,610 --> 00:50:15,756
to continue the nightly rituals,
832
00:50:15,780 --> 00:50:19,493
but the boy's diabolical rage
and superhuman strength
833
00:50:19,517 --> 00:50:23,297
become almost too powerful
to control.
834
00:50:23,321 --> 00:50:26,033
During this exorcism,
little 13-year-old Roland
835
00:50:26,057 --> 00:50:28,202
is fighting, he's punching.
836
00:50:28,226 --> 00:50:30,070
And at one point...
837
00:50:32,096 --> 00:50:34,975
...he breaks
Father Halloran's nose.
838
00:50:34,999 --> 00:50:36,710
He's that strong.
839
00:50:36,734 --> 00:50:38,512
Something inside of him
has given him
840
00:50:38,536 --> 00:50:41,248
unnatural strength and rage.
841
00:50:43,074 --> 00:50:45,385
Something evil
is happening in the room.
842
00:50:48,112 --> 00:50:50,924
There were several times
when he got loose
843
00:50:50,948 --> 00:50:54,962
and would hit people,
punch people, slap people.
844
00:50:54,986 --> 00:50:58,499
Once he actually punched
one of the priests in the groin
845
00:50:58,523 --> 00:51:01,168
and paralyzed him with pain.
846
00:51:01,192 --> 00:51:03,604
Roland was just completely
out of control.
847
00:51:06,831 --> 00:51:08,642
What's happening
during the exorcisms
848
00:51:08,666 --> 00:51:11,378
of Roland Doe
are typical terrors
849
00:51:11,402 --> 00:51:15,649
when clergy and laypeople of all
faiths attempt to expel the evil
850
00:51:15,673 --> 00:51:19,286
from a person possessed
by the devil.
851
00:51:19,310 --> 00:51:21,922
Myself and my colleagues
have been injured
852
00:51:21,946 --> 00:51:24,324
during exorcisms many times.
853
00:51:24,348 --> 00:51:27,795
We've been pushed, we've been
hit, and we've been bitten.
854
00:51:27,819 --> 00:51:32,566
We've been scratched. I've had
my hair pulled several times.
855
00:51:32,590 --> 00:51:35,169
I've been locked in rooms.
I've been burned.
856
00:51:35,193 --> 00:51:37,938
So, yeah, it happens frequently.
857
00:51:37,962 --> 00:51:39,640
By the power of Christ,
release him!
858
00:51:39,664 --> 00:51:42,309
To me, restraining
people during an exorcism
859
00:51:42,333 --> 00:51:46,080
was pointless because if it's
truly something demonic,
860
00:51:46,104 --> 00:51:48,582
the only one that's going to be
able to restrain the demon
861
00:51:48,606 --> 00:51:52,086
is the power of God himself.
862
00:51:52,110 --> 00:51:55,789
I command you, Satan,
prince of this world,
863
00:51:55,813 --> 00:51:58,826
acknowledge the power
and strength of Jesus Christ.
864
00:51:58,850 --> 00:52:00,928
I was doing an exorcism
one time,
865
00:52:00,952 --> 00:52:04,198
and when the demon manifested,
it lunged at me.
866
00:52:04,222 --> 00:52:06,567
I think I jumped back five feet.
867
00:52:06,591 --> 00:52:08,635
My heart was pounding
a mile a minute,
868
00:52:08,659 --> 00:52:11,338
but immediately went right back
towards the person
869
00:52:11,362 --> 00:52:14,475
and laid my hand on their head
and began praying.
870
00:52:18,035 --> 00:52:19,913
These same
frightening conditions
871
00:52:19,937 --> 00:52:23,917
were what priests confronted
in 1949 in St. Louis
872
00:52:23,941 --> 00:52:26,220
as they tried to drive out
the dark force
873
00:52:26,244 --> 00:52:28,622
within a 13-year-old Roland Doe.
874
00:52:32,083 --> 00:52:33,927
But what could
they have done so far
875
00:52:33,951 --> 00:52:36,130
to finally turn
the demonic tide?
876
00:52:43,194 --> 00:52:46,773
Unable to subdue the nightly
fits in the church rectory,
877
00:52:46,797 --> 00:52:49,109
Roland returns to the home
of his relatives
878
00:52:49,133 --> 00:52:50,777
in a suburb of St. Louis.
879
00:52:50,801 --> 00:52:53,614
For the next five days,
the boy remains
880
00:52:53,638 --> 00:52:57,584
suspiciously calm and quiet.
881
00:52:57,608 --> 00:53:01,788
There was about a
five days reprieve, and that's unusual.
882
00:53:01,812 --> 00:53:06,960
And it makes everybody stand
back and go, "Oh, is this over?"
883
00:53:06,984 --> 00:53:08,529
And then, all of a sudden,
884
00:53:08,553 --> 00:53:11,765
things went completely
backward again.
885
00:53:11,789 --> 00:53:16,803
There was a night when Roland
wanted to write things down.
886
00:53:16,827 --> 00:53:18,639
Now, his uncle was an architect
887
00:53:18,663 --> 00:53:20,807
and had these
huge sheets of paper,
888
00:53:20,831 --> 00:53:25,245
and he was writing out messages
and words.
889
00:53:25,269 --> 00:53:27,848
According to
the exorcists' diary,
890
00:53:27,872 --> 00:53:31,084
Roland's family frantically
calls the priests to come over
891
00:53:31,108 --> 00:53:34,221
and help decipher what the
possessed boy is trying to say.
892
00:53:37,582 --> 00:53:39,693
I will stay 10 days,
893
00:53:39,717 --> 00:53:43,764
but will return
after the four days are up.
894
00:53:43,788 --> 00:53:46,433
I am the devil himself.
895
00:53:49,260 --> 00:53:52,206
So they were trying
to interpret what did that mean?
896
00:53:52,230 --> 00:53:55,242
It looked like Roman numerals,
and there was speculation
897
00:53:55,266 --> 00:53:57,911
at that point about
the timeline of the exorcism.
898
00:53:57,935 --> 00:54:02,549
Is it going to be 10 days?
What does the 10 represent?
899
00:54:02,573 --> 00:54:04,618
Father Bishop thought
the boy was going to be possessed
900
00:54:04,642 --> 00:54:06,720
for 10 more days.
901
00:54:08,713 --> 00:54:11,358
So the devil was definitely
playing with him.
902
00:54:16,921 --> 00:54:21,835
On day 17,
after over a dozen exorcisms,
903
00:54:21,859 --> 00:54:24,137
Father Bowdern suggests
that Roland
904
00:54:24,161 --> 00:54:26,240
should be baptized
as a Catholic.
905
00:54:29,300 --> 00:54:31,311
A baptism is a form of exorcism
906
00:54:31,335 --> 00:54:35,749
because
it rejects the powers of Satan.
907
00:54:35,773 --> 00:54:38,518
Because Roland had been
raised a Lutheran,
908
00:54:38,542 --> 00:54:42,656
it was thought that perhaps by
instructing him in Catholicism
909
00:54:42,680 --> 00:54:47,728
that it might help
to ease the exorcism along.
910
00:54:50,454 --> 00:54:53,533
But on the drive to the church
for the baptism,
911
00:54:53,557 --> 00:54:57,337
Roland falls into one of his
deviant spells.
912
00:54:57,361 --> 00:55:00,007
His aunt and uncle are
driving him to the church
913
00:55:00,031 --> 00:55:02,576
when, all of a sudden,
914
00:55:02,600 --> 00:55:05,912
Roland in the back seat
just goes into a rage, a fit,
915
00:55:05,936 --> 00:55:07,247
and he leaps to the front seat,
916
00:55:07,271 --> 00:55:09,049
tries to grab
the steering wheel,
917
00:55:09,073 --> 00:55:11,018
saying, "You're going to
try to baptize me?
918
00:55:11,042 --> 00:55:12,853
You're going to try to
offer me communion?
919
00:55:12,877 --> 00:55:14,388
It's not going to work."
920
00:55:14,412 --> 00:55:17,024
And his uncle is forced
to pull the car over
921
00:55:17,048 --> 00:55:20,127
for fear that he's going to
kill all of them.
922
00:55:20,151 --> 00:55:23,664
He put all of their lives,
including his own, in danger
923
00:55:23,688 --> 00:55:26,066
to try to avoid
going to that church.
924
00:55:28,192 --> 00:55:30,671
13-year-old Roland
curses and spits
925
00:55:30,695 --> 00:55:33,473
as he is dragged into the church
rectory for the baptism.
926
00:55:36,200 --> 00:55:41,114
Father Bowdern demands Roland
to renounce Satan,
927
00:55:41,138 --> 00:55:44,651
but the boy slips deeper
into his hysterical state,
928
00:55:44,675 --> 00:55:46,687
repulsed by the holy water.
929
00:55:49,180 --> 00:55:52,059
He's just fighting and kicking.
930
00:55:52,083 --> 00:55:55,562
Three men are doing all they can
to try to hold him down,
931
00:55:55,586 --> 00:55:57,397
and it's decided that
they're just going to have to do
932
00:55:57,421 --> 00:56:00,067
a shortened version
of the baptism ritual
933
00:56:00,091 --> 00:56:02,202
just to get it done.
934
00:56:11,068 --> 00:56:12,846
Three days after the baptism,
935
00:56:12,870 --> 00:56:16,883
Father Bowdern makes
a radical decision...
936
00:56:16,907 --> 00:56:19,753
Roland should return home
to Maryland.
937
00:56:22,713 --> 00:56:26,293
Father Bowdern suggested
that the family go back to Maryland.
938
00:56:28,753 --> 00:56:33,100
He would go with them,
and he would find a hospital
939
00:56:33,124 --> 00:56:35,869
or a convent or a monastery
940
00:56:35,893 --> 00:56:39,673
where he could be treated
under medical conditions,
941
00:56:39,697 --> 00:56:40,874
because at this point, you know,
942
00:56:40,898 --> 00:56:42,476
this kid has been
going through this,
943
00:56:42,500 --> 00:56:45,712
and it's not wearing well
on him.
944
00:56:45,736 --> 00:56:47,748
Physically,
he's becoming thinner.
945
00:56:47,772 --> 00:56:49,616
He's not eating.
946
00:56:49,640 --> 00:56:54,554
He's despondent, and his
behavior is wild and crazy.
947
00:56:54,578 --> 00:56:57,457
And so Father Bowdern said,
948
00:56:57,481 --> 00:56:59,893
"I will find some place
in Maryland
949
00:56:59,917 --> 00:57:04,131
where someone can continue
the exorcism."
950
00:57:04,155 --> 00:57:06,666
They're trying to find
some institution or hospital
951
00:57:06,690 --> 00:57:09,202
where they can keep him,
but no one wants him.
952
00:57:09,226 --> 00:57:13,073
No one wants to touch this case
because of how complex it is.
953
00:57:13,097 --> 00:57:15,776
Whether it's psychological
or diabolical,
954
00:57:15,800 --> 00:57:20,280
no one wants to seem to deal
with poor Roland.
955
00:57:20,304 --> 00:57:22,382
Unable to find anyone to help
956
00:57:22,406 --> 00:57:25,819
near the boy's home state
of Maryland,
957
00:57:25,843 --> 00:57:28,722
Father Bowdern decides
that their only option
958
00:57:28,746 --> 00:57:30,690
is to go back to the Midwest
959
00:57:30,714 --> 00:57:35,962
and make one more desperate
attempt to save Roland Doe.
960
00:57:35,986 --> 00:57:38,398
Father Bowdern realized
that he was going to have
961
00:57:38,422 --> 00:57:41,234
to take Roland back to St. Louis
962
00:57:41,258 --> 00:57:43,503
and he was going to have
to continue this himself,
963
00:57:43,527 --> 00:57:46,706
because after all this time
around Maryland and D.C.,
964
00:57:46,730 --> 00:57:48,108
no one would take him.
965
00:57:48,132 --> 00:57:51,311
So he decided that
the best thing for him to do
966
00:57:51,335 --> 00:57:54,481
was to take him to a hospital,
and he knew just the place.
967
00:57:58,275 --> 00:58:00,821
Upon returning to St. Louis,
968
00:58:00,845 --> 00:58:03,190
Roland is admitted
to the psychiatric ward
969
00:58:03,214 --> 00:58:05,292
at the
Alexian Brothers Hospital,
970
00:58:05,316 --> 00:58:09,563
which is run by an ancient order
of Catholic monks.
971
00:58:09,587 --> 00:58:11,665
The brothers were known
for taking care
972
00:58:11,689 --> 00:58:15,001
of the really extreme cases
of both physical
973
00:58:15,025 --> 00:58:18,071
and also mental illness.
974
00:58:18,095 --> 00:58:21,074
And so that's where he ended up
staying in the psychiatric ward
975
00:58:21,098 --> 00:58:23,243
at Alexian Brothers here
in St. Louis.
976
00:58:23,267 --> 00:58:26,346
The Alexian Brothers
Hospital had a secure
977
00:58:26,370 --> 00:58:29,783
psychiatric facility
where Roland could be taken
978
00:58:29,807 --> 00:58:33,286
out of the public eye and
everything would be kept secret
979
00:58:33,310 --> 00:58:37,257
because the Alexian brothers
were known for their secrecy.
980
00:58:40,384 --> 00:58:41,862
But soon after,
981
00:58:41,886 --> 00:58:44,564
hushed whispers
echo down the corridors
982
00:58:44,588 --> 00:58:47,400
about a special patient
in the psychiatric wing.
983
00:58:50,828 --> 00:58:54,508
In his only interview,
a dying Alexian monk
984
00:58:54,532 --> 00:58:58,712
breaks his silence and divulges
his darkest secrets
985
00:58:58,736 --> 00:59:03,383
of what really happened during
the terrifying final chapters
986
00:59:03,407 --> 00:59:06,219
in the exorcism of Roland Doe.
987
00:59:22,826 --> 00:59:26,139
April 10, 1949,
988
00:59:26,163 --> 00:59:30,544
After more than three weeks
of unsuccessful exorcisms,
989
00:59:30,568 --> 00:59:33,680
Roland Doe enters
the Alexian Brothers Hospital
990
00:59:33,704 --> 00:59:35,916
at the beginning of Holy Week,
991
00:59:35,940 --> 00:59:38,785
one of the most sacred
and celebrated times
992
00:59:38,809 --> 00:59:42,422
in the Catholic Church.
993
00:59:42,446 --> 00:59:45,158
But the week turns into
sheer hell for the priests
994
00:59:45,182 --> 00:59:49,229
and monks tending
to 13-year-old Roland.
995
00:59:49,253 --> 00:59:51,331
Before his death,
an Alexian brother
996
00:59:51,355 --> 00:59:53,266
breaks his vow of silence
997
00:59:53,290 --> 00:59:58,305
and speaks about the exorcisms
he witnessed firsthand.
998
00:59:58,329 --> 01:00:01,975
In 2014, I got
the opportunity to interview
999
01:00:01,999 --> 01:00:03,777
Brother Greg Holewinski.
1000
01:00:03,801 --> 01:00:08,114
An Alexian Monk
who had never talked about
1001
01:00:08,138 --> 01:00:10,483
his participation
in the exorcism,
1002
01:00:10,507 --> 01:00:13,053
and he was dying of cancer.
1003
01:00:13,077 --> 01:00:15,422
And he wanted to tell his story.
1004
01:00:19,083 --> 01:00:22,195
The first night I went up,
there was a boy laying in bed,
1005
01:00:22,219 --> 01:00:26,399
there were three priests
that were the exorcists.
1006
01:00:26,423 --> 01:00:28,101
During the prayers
of the possession,
1007
01:00:28,125 --> 01:00:29,970
the priest wears the stole.
1008
01:00:29,994 --> 01:00:33,974
It's a fine silk ribbon.
1009
01:00:33,998 --> 01:00:37,544
The devil, using the boy's hand,
reached over and snatched...
1010
01:00:39,470 --> 01:00:44,517
...that silk cloth,
and within a split second,
1011
01:00:44,541 --> 01:00:47,020
it was a thousand threads.
1012
01:00:47,044 --> 01:00:51,791
Then Brother Greg
witnesses a frightening sight.
1013
01:00:51,815 --> 01:00:56,496
You could feel
the powers of the devil.
1014
01:00:56,520 --> 01:00:58,898
They saw the boy's
body levitate.
1015
01:01:02,159 --> 01:01:05,772
I was at the foot of the bed
and had my arms crossed over
1016
01:01:05,796 --> 01:01:07,807
from his ankle to his knee.
1017
01:01:09,800 --> 01:01:11,878
I was frightened.
1018
01:01:11,902 --> 01:01:16,383
What I saw was real,
what I touched was real.
1019
01:01:16,407 --> 01:01:21,121
It was an experience
that I would never forget.
1020
01:01:21,145 --> 01:01:25,458
Anybody with common sense
just walk in seeing that
1021
01:01:25,482 --> 01:01:27,227
knows that couldn't be faked.
1022
01:01:32,489 --> 01:01:36,536
After the second night,
the boy...
1023
01:01:36,560 --> 01:01:39,506
...and the devil
had possession of him.
1024
01:01:39,530 --> 01:01:42,142
Suddenly, the devil
threw this decanter.
1025
01:01:45,769 --> 01:01:48,415
And it crashed
into a thousand pieces.
1026
01:01:48,439 --> 01:01:51,151
I've been through storms,
hurricanes, tornadoes
1027
01:01:51,175 --> 01:01:55,822
and whatnot,
but this thing was the worst.
1028
01:01:55,846 --> 01:01:58,825
There's no reason he would
have lied or made this story up.
1029
01:01:58,849 --> 01:02:02,028
You know, here we are 65 years
later at the time,
1030
01:02:02,052 --> 01:02:04,364
and he'd never talked
about it before,
1031
01:02:04,388 --> 01:02:07,000
but what happened
had never left him.
1032
01:02:10,227 --> 01:02:12,305
A few days before Easter,
1033
01:02:12,329 --> 01:02:13,873
Father Halloran takes Roland
1034
01:02:13,897 --> 01:02:16,810
to an outdoor retreat center
on a high bluff
1035
01:02:16,834 --> 01:02:20,180
overlooking
the Mississippi River.
1036
01:02:20,204 --> 01:02:22,615
He thinks the fresh air
might help Roland.
1037
01:02:25,843 --> 01:02:28,154
The expansive grounds
include statues
1038
01:02:28,178 --> 01:02:30,857
depicting the stations
of the cross,
1039
01:02:30,881 --> 01:02:35,361
the path Jesus endured
on the way to his crucifixion.
1040
01:02:35,385 --> 01:02:38,364
There was a path that goes
along the bluff that's
1041
01:02:38,388 --> 01:02:41,000
the various stations
of the cross.
1042
01:02:41,024 --> 01:02:42,502
And so while
they were out there,
1043
01:02:42,526 --> 01:02:45,939
Roland seemed very interested
in the stories of the stations.
1044
01:02:45,963 --> 01:02:48,641
When they get
to the 14th station,
1045
01:02:48,665 --> 01:02:51,411
where Jesus is being placed
into the tomb...
1046
01:02:53,604 --> 01:02:55,215
...something snaps in Roland.
1047
01:02:55,239 --> 01:02:57,417
He starts going into a fit,
a seizure.
1048
01:02:57,441 --> 01:03:00,854
He starts running.
1049
01:03:00,878 --> 01:03:03,690
Father Halloran
chases after Roland,
1050
01:03:03,714 --> 01:03:06,326
who charges straight towards
the edge of the cliff.
1051
01:03:08,786 --> 01:03:11,564
Whatever demon has seized
Roland's soul
1052
01:03:11,588 --> 01:03:16,069
is leading the boy and the
priest toward a violent death.
1053
01:03:30,641 --> 01:03:33,186
April 13, 1949.
1054
01:03:36,146 --> 01:03:38,958
After nearly a month
of nightly exorcisms...
1055
01:03:42,786 --> 01:03:46,199
...Father Walter Halloran
takes 13-year-old Roland Doe
1056
01:03:46,223 --> 01:03:48,234
outdoors for fresh air.
1057
01:03:52,896 --> 01:03:56,209
They walk the grounds of
the White House Retreat Center,
1058
01:03:56,233 --> 01:03:58,344
which features statues
depicting Jesus
1059
01:03:58,368 --> 01:04:02,015
on the day of his crucifixion.
1060
01:04:02,039 --> 01:04:04,350
But Roland snaps
1061
01:04:04,374 --> 01:04:07,821
and falls into
one of his spells.
1062
01:04:07,845 --> 01:04:12,058
He takes off and heads toward
the edge of a steep bluff.
1063
01:04:13,817 --> 01:04:15,628
Father Halloran has to
chase him down
1064
01:04:15,652 --> 01:04:18,598
because he could kill himself
if he runs off.
1065
01:04:18,622 --> 01:04:20,767
And Father Halloran eventually
has to tackle him
1066
01:04:20,791 --> 01:04:22,769
to get him back under control.
1067
01:04:26,597 --> 01:04:29,876
Roland comes out
of his crazed trance
1068
01:04:29,900 --> 01:04:32,212
and doesn't remember
what happened.
1069
01:04:32,236 --> 01:04:34,414
People that I've worked
with who have been possessed,
1070
01:04:34,438 --> 01:04:36,950
some of them will tell me
that they're aware
1071
01:04:36,974 --> 01:04:38,218
of what's going on.
1072
01:04:38,242 --> 01:04:40,386
But just like they're trapped
in their own body
1073
01:04:40,410 --> 01:04:43,323
and they're powerless
to stop what is taking place.
1074
01:04:43,347 --> 01:04:46,559
Other people tell me
that once the demon takes over,
1075
01:04:46,583 --> 01:04:50,864
they no longer have any
awareness of what took place.
1076
01:04:50,888 --> 01:04:54,400
As Roland's
demonic state worsens,
1077
01:04:54,424 --> 01:04:59,372
Father William Bowdern shows
signs of stress and fatigue.
1078
01:04:59,396 --> 01:05:02,976
Oozing boils cover the priest's
frail, emaciated body.
1079
01:05:05,869 --> 01:05:08,014
These priests
went through long periods
1080
01:05:08,038 --> 01:05:10,950
where they had to fast and pray,
1081
01:05:10,974 --> 01:05:13,686
and during the course
of these exorcisms,
1082
01:05:13,710 --> 01:05:16,489
Father Bowdern lost
almost 40 pounds.
1083
01:05:16,513 --> 01:05:20,960
These men were exhausted.
1084
01:05:20,984 --> 01:05:23,263
Father Bowdern,
who is on the side of the bed
1085
01:05:23,287 --> 01:05:27,000
praying for the boy,
and he felt weak,
1086
01:05:27,024 --> 01:05:31,237
but he's fighting
for the life of this young boy.
1087
01:05:31,261 --> 01:05:34,307
When you think about what he
went through, what he did,
1088
01:05:34,331 --> 01:05:36,342
that he could love this child
so much
1089
01:05:36,366 --> 01:05:39,579
that he would pretty
much sacrifice himself for him.
1090
01:05:43,173 --> 01:05:47,186
If I just did exorcisms
every day of the year,
1091
01:05:47,210 --> 01:05:50,390
I think I would reach the point
where it would have an impact
1092
01:05:50,414 --> 01:05:54,060
on my own mental health
and physical health as well.
1093
01:05:54,084 --> 01:05:55,862
I've known exorcist priests
over the years
1094
01:05:55,886 --> 01:05:58,264
who've actually
left the priesthood.
1095
01:05:58,288 --> 01:06:00,066
They just reached the point
where they just felt like
1096
01:06:00,090 --> 01:06:03,169
they were so broken
that they just couldn't go on.
1097
01:06:10,334 --> 01:06:13,880
On Holy Saturday,
the day before Easter,
1098
01:06:13,904 --> 01:06:17,150
a monk places a statue
of Saint Michael the Archangel
1099
01:06:17,174 --> 01:06:19,519
in Roland's room.
1100
01:06:19,543 --> 01:06:23,756
Saint Michael symbolizes
protection from evil forces.
1101
01:06:23,780 --> 01:06:26,526
Michael represents
a dragon slayer figure
1102
01:06:26,550 --> 01:06:28,328
and is often depicted that way,
1103
01:06:28,352 --> 01:06:32,432
sort of a soldier
and triumphant over the devil.
1104
01:06:32,456 --> 01:06:36,169
And so he's often invoked
as sort of a protector figure.
1105
01:06:39,930 --> 01:06:42,942
Prayers that were dedicated
to Saint Michael
1106
01:06:42,966 --> 01:06:45,478
seemed to be
particularly effective.
1107
01:06:45,502 --> 01:06:48,948
Roland seemed to really react
in a different way.
1108
01:06:51,241 --> 01:06:53,853
Do the monks believe
Saint Michael the Archangel
1109
01:06:53,877 --> 01:06:57,390
could finally save Roland
from Satan's wrath?
1110
01:07:07,024 --> 01:07:10,269
The day after Easter marks
more than one month
1111
01:07:10,293 --> 01:07:13,806
since Roland's first exorcism.
1112
01:07:13,830 --> 01:07:17,510
Father Bowdern uses every weapon
in his holy arsenal
1113
01:07:17,534 --> 01:07:21,481
to exorcise the demon.
1114
01:07:21,505 --> 01:07:23,616
Roland complains
the religious medals
1115
01:07:23,640 --> 01:07:27,020
around his neck burn his skin.
1116
01:07:27,044 --> 01:07:31,791
But Father Bowdern refuses
to remove them.
1117
01:07:31,815 --> 01:07:35,628
Instead, he forces a crucifix
into Roland's hand,
1118
01:07:35,652 --> 01:07:37,764
which makes him go
into convulsions.
1119
01:07:40,557 --> 01:07:41,768
Oftentimes when a relic
1120
01:07:41,792 --> 01:07:44,037
is placed on a person
who is possessed,
1121
01:07:44,061 --> 01:07:47,940
you'll hear screams
that somehow it's burning.
1122
01:07:47,964 --> 01:07:50,410
So it's the confrontation
1123
01:07:50,434 --> 01:07:54,113
between the holy
with the demonic.
1124
01:07:56,706 --> 01:07:59,218
At that point, Roland turns
violent and he's shaking
1125
01:07:59,242 --> 01:08:01,954
and he screams,
and in a deep, masculine voice,
1126
01:08:01,978 --> 01:08:05,625
as Father Bowdern demands to
know who's inside of Roland...
1127
01:08:09,119 --> 01:08:12,765
Father Bowdern was evidently
trying to get the demon
1128
01:08:12,789 --> 01:08:16,602
to express to him, "Tell me
your name. Who are you?"
1129
01:08:16,626 --> 01:08:18,704
According to the Diary
of the exorcisms
1130
01:08:18,728 --> 01:08:22,975
kept by Father Bishop,
the demon speaks through Roland
1131
01:08:22,999 --> 01:08:26,879
and provokes Father Bowdern
with a haunting threat.
1132
01:08:26,903 --> 01:08:30,483
He has to say one more
word, one little word.
1133
01:08:30,507 --> 01:08:34,887
I mean, one big word.
He'll never say it.
1134
01:08:34,911 --> 01:08:36,889
I am always in him.
1135
01:08:36,913 --> 01:08:41,194
I may not have much power
always, but I am in him.
1136
01:08:41,218 --> 01:08:44,864
He will never say that word.
1137
01:08:46,523 --> 01:08:49,869
The demon said, "I'm not going
to leave until Roland's said
1138
01:08:49,893 --> 01:08:51,204
a certain word."
1139
01:08:51,228 --> 01:08:54,474
In a pivotal showdown
between good and evil...
1140
01:08:54,498 --> 01:08:57,310
Until he said it,
it would stay with him.
1141
01:08:57,334 --> 01:09:00,880
...what word could release
Roland...
1142
01:09:02,139 --> 01:09:04,539
...from the devil's grip?
1143
01:09:16,253 --> 01:09:19,932
April 18, 1949.
1144
01:09:19,956 --> 01:09:23,436
After more than a month long
battle,
1145
01:09:23,460 --> 01:09:26,906
Father William Bowdern engages
in a decisive exorcism
1146
01:09:26,930 --> 01:09:31,444
of 13-year-old Roland Doe at
the Alexian Brothers Hospital.
1147
01:09:33,904 --> 01:09:37,216
A demonic spirit
speaks through Roland
1148
01:09:37,240 --> 01:09:40,887
and claims the boy refuses
to say a word
1149
01:09:40,911 --> 01:09:43,122
that might finally set him free.
1150
01:09:43,146 --> 01:09:46,492
One more word.
1151
01:09:46,516 --> 01:09:48,094
He'll never say it.
1152
01:09:48,118 --> 01:09:51,330
I am always in him.
1153
01:09:53,790 --> 01:09:56,702
But according to
the exorcists' diary,
1154
01:09:56,726 --> 01:10:00,673
Roland suddenly defies
the demon possessing him
1155
01:10:00,697 --> 01:10:03,276
and commands the evil spirit
to leave.
1156
01:10:05,936 --> 01:10:09,682
Roland was in a seizure,
but lay calm.
1157
01:10:09,706 --> 01:10:12,552
In clear, commanding tones,
and with dignity,
1158
01:10:12,576 --> 01:10:15,354
a voice broke into prayers.
1159
01:10:17,681 --> 01:10:19,859
Satan.
1160
01:10:19,883 --> 01:10:24,130
Satan, I would seek Michael.
1161
01:10:24,154 --> 01:10:26,332
And I command you, Satan,
1162
01:10:26,356 --> 01:10:29,135
and the other devil spirits
to leave the body
1163
01:10:29,159 --> 01:10:32,171
in the name of Dóminus
immediately.
1164
01:10:32,195 --> 01:10:35,708
Now! Now! Now!
1165
01:10:41,104 --> 01:10:45,218
Father Bowdern
realizes Dóminus is the word
1166
01:10:45,242 --> 01:10:48,654
that the devil claims
Roland would never say.
1167
01:10:48,678 --> 01:10:54,026
"Dóminus" is the Latin
word for "Lord."
1168
01:10:54,050 --> 01:10:56,729
Dóminus, our Lord,
it's forcing the demon
1169
01:10:56,753 --> 01:11:00,600
to recognize the lordship
of Jesus Christ,
1170
01:11:00,624 --> 01:11:04,036
and by doing that,
it's showing a sign of weakness,
1171
01:11:04,060 --> 01:11:06,872
and then it's going to be
compelled to to depart.
1172
01:11:09,399 --> 01:11:12,478
Suddenly, Roland erupts
1173
01:11:12,502 --> 01:11:15,314
and experiences
the most violent convulsions
1174
01:11:15,338 --> 01:11:17,483
of the entire period
of exorcisms.
1175
01:11:21,077 --> 01:11:22,855
In his delirious state,
1176
01:11:22,879 --> 01:11:26,092
Roland claims to have
a prophetic vision.
1177
01:11:26,116 --> 01:11:28,794
On the final day
of the exorcism,
1178
01:11:28,818 --> 01:11:33,032
Roland envisioned himself
outside of a cave
1179
01:11:33,056 --> 01:11:35,701
with an angel with
a flaming sword
1180
01:11:35,725 --> 01:11:40,306
that he believed
was Saint Michael.
1181
01:11:40,330 --> 01:11:44,377
He sees this vision of
Saint Michael the Archangel
1182
01:11:44,401 --> 01:11:46,779
with a sword and a pitchfork,
1183
01:11:46,803 --> 01:11:51,651
pushing these demons
back into the fiery pit of hell.
1184
01:11:53,443 --> 01:11:55,688
And this angelic figure,
Saint Michael,
1185
01:11:55,712 --> 01:12:00,059
smiles at Roland
and says the word Dóminus,
1186
01:12:00,083 --> 01:12:04,297
which is the word that the devil
said Roland would never say.
1187
01:12:04,321 --> 01:12:07,266
After several minutes
of uncontrollable spasms,
1188
01:12:07,290 --> 01:12:09,935
Roland relaxes and falls still.
1189
01:12:13,963 --> 01:12:16,909
After seven or eight
minutes of violence,
1190
01:12:16,933 --> 01:12:20,813
Roland, in a tone
of complete relief, said,
1191
01:12:20,837 --> 01:12:23,516
"He's gone!" Immediately,
1192
01:12:23,540 --> 01:12:25,685
Roland came back to normal.
1193
01:12:28,278 --> 01:12:31,857
Suddenly, this spell,
this seizure that Roland
1194
01:12:31,881 --> 01:12:35,728
was going through just stopped.
1195
01:12:35,752 --> 01:12:37,663
He just went silent.
1196
01:12:37,687 --> 01:12:41,867
And he looked up at the priests,
and he said, "It's over."
1197
01:12:44,794 --> 01:12:49,141
At an exorcism, once the
person says they want help,
1198
01:12:49,165 --> 01:12:52,812
then that connection
with the demonic can be broken,
1199
01:12:52,836 --> 01:12:55,314
even though the demon
might be trying to say,
1200
01:12:55,338 --> 01:12:57,116
"No, no, no, no,
it can't be broken.
1201
01:12:57,140 --> 01:13:00,686
You've made a pact with me."
1202
01:13:00,710 --> 01:13:04,090
While the priests
and Alexian monks celebrate,
1203
01:13:04,114 --> 01:13:07,026
Father Bowdern remains
skeptical.
1204
01:13:07,050 --> 01:13:10,629
Has the demon truly left
for good?
1205
01:13:10,653 --> 01:13:12,698
Father Bowdern wasn't so sure.
1206
01:13:12,722 --> 01:13:13,899
He'd seen this before.
1207
01:13:13,923 --> 01:13:16,602
This was not the first time
that Roland
1208
01:13:16,626 --> 01:13:20,706
or the demon in Roland told him
that it was over.
1209
01:13:20,730 --> 01:13:23,743
So he had prayed for a sign
to be sent
1210
01:13:23,767 --> 01:13:26,612
so that he would know
it really had come to an end.
1211
01:13:26,636 --> 01:13:30,516
And then suddenly,
there was this massive boom...
1212
01:13:33,309 --> 01:13:34,820
...that shook the building.
1213
01:13:34,844 --> 01:13:38,090
In fact, one of the monks there
believed that their furnace
1214
01:13:38,114 --> 01:13:40,092
had exploded, it was that loud.
1215
01:13:42,018 --> 01:13:44,830
Moments after the
mysterious blast reverberates
1216
01:13:44,854 --> 01:13:46,966
throughout the hospital,
1217
01:13:46,990 --> 01:13:49,869
priests report an image
of Saint Michael
1218
01:13:49,893 --> 01:13:52,304
illuminating the dome above
the altar
1219
01:13:52,328 --> 01:13:55,508
at nearby St. Francis Xavier
College Church.
1220
01:14:00,303 --> 01:14:03,315
Father Bowdern knew
that was the sign
1221
01:14:03,339 --> 01:14:08,220
that he had been waiting for,
and that it really was over.
1222
01:14:08,244 --> 01:14:10,256
That was the end
of the exorcism.
1223
01:14:16,319 --> 01:14:19,465
Roland stayed in St. Louis
for a couple of weeks,
1224
01:14:19,489 --> 01:14:24,570
and then returned home
to Maryland.
1225
01:14:24,594 --> 01:14:27,006
He did contact Father Bowdern
one last time,
1226
01:14:27,030 --> 01:14:29,642
he wrote him a letter,
told him how happy he was,
1227
01:14:29,666 --> 01:14:32,812
he was back in school, that he
had just gotten a new dog.
1228
01:14:32,836 --> 01:14:36,415
And things seemed to be
going okay for him.
1229
01:14:36,439 --> 01:14:38,384
After examining
all of the evidence
1230
01:14:38,408 --> 01:14:40,820
gathered in Maryland
and St. Louis,
1231
01:14:40,844 --> 01:14:43,856
the Catholic Church
reportedly refuses to confirm
1232
01:14:43,880 --> 01:14:49,261
or deny Roland Doe was a genuine
case of demonic possession.
1233
01:14:49,285 --> 01:14:54,500
There were 48
eyewitnesses who signed off
1234
01:14:54,524 --> 01:14:57,903
on this final
ecclesiastical document
1235
01:14:57,927 --> 01:15:03,108
reporting that these abnormal
things had occurred.
1236
01:15:03,132 --> 01:15:05,077
Now, that's not a signing off
saying absolutely
1237
01:15:05,101 --> 01:15:08,447
I know with 100% this was
a case of demonic possession.
1238
01:15:08,471 --> 01:15:10,616
But we saw some
really weird stuff
1239
01:15:10,640 --> 01:15:12,651
that happened around this kid
1240
01:15:12,675 --> 01:15:15,421
that we don't know
how to explain naturally.
1241
01:15:18,915 --> 01:15:21,093
Despite the church's conclusion,
1242
01:15:21,117 --> 01:15:23,963
the priests who were there
believe Roland Doe
1243
01:15:23,987 --> 01:15:27,032
was an undisputed case
of demonic possession.
1244
01:15:29,659 --> 01:15:33,472
Father Bowdern soldiered
through this whole ordeal
1245
01:15:33,496 --> 01:15:37,943
and said virtually nothing
to family members about it
1246
01:15:37,967 --> 01:15:39,979
until his dying days.
1247
01:15:40,003 --> 01:15:42,381
But he did say that he believed,
1248
01:15:42,405 --> 01:15:47,887
you know, that he was dealing
with a true demonic possession.
1249
01:15:47,911 --> 01:15:49,455
If you've ever had anyone
in your life
1250
01:15:49,479 --> 01:15:51,857
whose word you implicitly
believe,
1251
01:15:51,881 --> 01:15:56,428
this was the guy, was
Uncle Bill, was Father Bowdern.
1252
01:15:56,452 --> 01:16:00,032
He wasn't an exaggerator.
I think with his common sense,
1253
01:16:00,056 --> 01:16:04,136
he would never think
to exaggerate anything.
1254
01:16:04,160 --> 01:16:06,472
Do you choose to
believe that this was something
1255
01:16:06,496 --> 01:16:10,910
that was real and that happened
as it's reported?
1256
01:16:10,934 --> 01:16:14,380
Do you choose
to remain skeptical?
1257
01:16:14,404 --> 01:16:19,051
It boils down to, do you trust
the veracity of the witnesses?
1258
01:16:19,075 --> 01:16:21,954
I have doubts
about parts of the story,
1259
01:16:21,978 --> 01:16:25,391
but I do think
something happened.
1260
01:16:25,415 --> 01:16:27,593
Whether you want to believe
it was a demon
1261
01:16:27,617 --> 01:16:31,964
or some sort of presence or some
sort of psychological problem
1262
01:16:31,988 --> 01:16:34,333
that was instantly cured
somehow,
1263
01:16:34,357 --> 01:16:37,069
whatever it was,
it was expelled.
1264
01:16:40,630 --> 01:16:42,708
While the final report
of the exorcism
1265
01:16:42,732 --> 01:16:46,946
remains locked away
in the Roman Catholic archives,
1266
01:16:46,970 --> 01:16:50,516
speculation
and questions persist.
1267
01:16:50,540 --> 01:16:54,353
Now, an investigator talks
on camera for the first time
1268
01:16:54,377 --> 01:16:58,357
about a possible cover up
surrounding the exorcism case.
1269
01:16:58,381 --> 01:17:01,160
What happened to
the real Roland Doe
1270
01:17:01,184 --> 01:17:04,730
and the demon
that allegedly possessed him?
1271
01:17:14,464 --> 01:17:17,810
The 1949 exorcism case
of Roland Doe
1272
01:17:17,834 --> 01:17:20,412
is supposed to be
kept top secret.
1273
01:17:20,436 --> 01:17:23,048
While most involved
remain tight-lipped,
1274
01:17:23,072 --> 01:17:26,085
stories eventually
leak to the press
1275
01:17:26,109 --> 01:17:28,454
and reported details
about the boy's life
1276
01:17:28,478 --> 01:17:33,726
after the exorcisms
are revealed.
1277
01:17:33,750 --> 01:17:36,128
Roland remains Catholic.
1278
01:17:36,152 --> 01:17:40,099
He goes to a Catholic Jesuit
high school,
1279
01:17:40,123 --> 01:17:42,301
Gonzaga Prep.
1280
01:17:42,325 --> 01:17:45,404
He marries,
had several children.
1281
01:17:45,428 --> 01:17:48,240
He evidently named
his first child Michael
1282
01:17:48,264 --> 01:17:49,942
after Saint Michael.
1283
01:17:49,966 --> 01:17:52,244
He did very well,
went to college,
1284
01:17:52,268 --> 01:17:54,580
literally became
a rocket scientist,
1285
01:17:54,604 --> 01:17:56,715
went to work part-time
with NASA.
1286
01:17:56,739 --> 01:18:01,153
He has a couple of patents for
scientific devices to his name,
1287
01:18:01,177 --> 01:18:03,856
including shielding
they used on rockets.
1288
01:18:03,880 --> 01:18:07,393
So he has lived a very full
and long life,
1289
01:18:07,417 --> 01:18:11,163
never troubled by anything
that had happened to him
1290
01:18:11,187 --> 01:18:13,165
during that time period.
1291
01:18:16,926 --> 01:18:21,240
I had always said I would never
put his name into print,
1292
01:18:21,264 --> 01:18:23,909
and I think his privacy
needs to be respected.
1293
01:18:25,668 --> 01:18:28,747
The real Roland Doe,
now in his 80s,
1294
01:18:28,771 --> 01:18:31,150
has never spoken publicly
1295
01:18:31,174 --> 01:18:34,987
and will most likely take
his secrets to the grave.
1296
01:18:35,011 --> 01:18:36,188
I don't blame him.
1297
01:18:36,212 --> 01:18:37,589
I don't blame him for
keeping silent on it.
1298
01:18:37,613 --> 01:18:39,725
And it's possible
he doesn't even remember.
1299
01:18:39,749 --> 01:18:42,261
It's possible
if he really wasn't himself,
1300
01:18:42,285 --> 01:18:43,762
he would have
no recollection of it.
1301
01:18:43,786 --> 01:18:46,065
So what is there to say
at this point?
1302
01:18:46,089 --> 01:18:49,068
But we do know he lived a life.
1303
01:18:51,928 --> 01:18:55,908
While Roland Doe may have put
the exorcisms behind him,
1304
01:18:55,932 --> 01:18:58,444
eyewitnesses and residents
of St. Louis
1305
01:18:58,468 --> 01:19:01,346
claim physical reminders
of his ordeal
1306
01:19:01,370 --> 01:19:03,482
continue to haunt the city.
1307
01:19:06,509 --> 01:19:10,756
In 1978, the psychiatric wing
of the Alexian Brothers Hospital
1308
01:19:10,780 --> 01:19:13,025
is scheduled to be torn down.
1309
01:19:13,049 --> 01:19:15,094
Before leveling the building,
1310
01:19:15,118 --> 01:19:19,131
construction workers
make a chance discovery.
1311
01:19:19,155 --> 01:19:21,266
The construction crew
found a particular room
1312
01:19:21,290 --> 01:19:23,102
that was locked.
1313
01:19:23,126 --> 01:19:24,903
They found a desk in the room,
1314
01:19:24,927 --> 01:19:29,241
and inside was this booklet
1315
01:19:29,265 --> 01:19:33,712
that had been put together
that mentioned an exorcism.
1316
01:19:33,736 --> 01:19:36,014
And it turned out that
it had been a copy
1317
01:19:36,038 --> 01:19:39,384
of Father Bishop's diary
of the exorcism.
1318
01:19:39,408 --> 01:19:42,888
And that's how the story
eventually became public.
1319
01:19:42,912 --> 01:19:46,258
That's how we have access
to the diary now.
1320
01:19:50,520 --> 01:19:52,765
The diary might not be the only
1321
01:19:52,789 --> 01:19:56,168
eerie vestige of the exorcism.
1322
01:19:56,192 --> 01:19:58,871
Investigator Stephen LaChance
says he's discovered
1323
01:19:58,895 --> 01:20:02,007
a possible conspiracy
in the case.
1324
01:20:02,031 --> 01:20:04,676
He claims an unnamed
church official
1325
01:20:04,700 --> 01:20:07,946
provided him access
to a medical facility
1326
01:20:07,970 --> 01:20:11,250
near the old
Alexian Brothers Hospital.
1327
01:20:11,274 --> 01:20:14,219
I was taken to a
hospital. I was taken through security.
1328
01:20:14,243 --> 01:20:16,255
There's a little elevator.
We were taken up.
1329
01:20:16,279 --> 01:20:20,425
It was the third
or fourth floor.
1330
01:20:20,449 --> 01:20:23,195
It was completely deserted.
There was no one there.
1331
01:20:23,219 --> 01:20:25,964
I walked up to the door,
and I started to pull the door
1332
01:20:25,988 --> 01:20:27,232
and they stopped me
and they said,
1333
01:20:27,256 --> 01:20:28,700
"You can't open it."
And I said, "Why?"
1334
01:20:28,724 --> 01:20:32,371
They said,
"Put your ear to the door."
1335
01:20:32,395 --> 01:20:33,839
And I put my ear to the door
1336
01:20:33,863 --> 01:20:37,676
and there sounded like there
was things...
1337
01:20:37,700 --> 01:20:41,213
flying against the wall,
crashing.
1338
01:20:41,237 --> 01:20:44,082
And they asked me,
"Do you know where you are?"
1339
01:20:44,106 --> 01:20:48,453
And they said, "This is the
place where the priests stayed."
1340
01:20:48,477 --> 01:20:52,991
For decades, rumors persist that
once the devil left Roland Doe,
1341
01:20:53,015 --> 01:20:57,062
it must have possessed
someone else.
1342
01:20:57,086 --> 01:21:01,700
Now, I believe that
Roland Doe's demon
1343
01:21:01,724 --> 01:21:04,336
went from Roland into a priest.
1344
01:21:07,930 --> 01:21:10,209
And the priest took the demon
over from the boy,
1345
01:21:10,233 --> 01:21:12,110
which is not uncommon.
It has happened before,
1346
01:21:12,134 --> 01:21:15,180
and I believe they housed
the priest in a hospital
1347
01:21:15,204 --> 01:21:17,115
until his death in 1983.
1348
01:21:17,139 --> 01:21:20,252
And I believe
that's where I was.
1349
01:21:20,276 --> 01:21:24,489
During exorcisms, the entity
will try to leave
1350
01:21:24,513 --> 01:21:28,260
the afflicted individual
and go into other people
1351
01:21:28,284 --> 01:21:30,395
who may be present
at the exorcism,
1352
01:21:30,419 --> 01:21:33,665
including the exorcist himself.
1353
01:21:33,689 --> 01:21:36,168
In an ultimate act of sacrifice,
1354
01:21:36,192 --> 01:21:39,171
is it possible a priest
took possession of the devil
1355
01:21:39,195 --> 01:21:42,975
to save Roland and then spent
the rest of his life
1356
01:21:42,999 --> 01:21:45,944
locked in a mental hospital?
1357
01:21:45,968 --> 01:21:48,447
According to the
person from the Catholic Church
1358
01:21:48,471 --> 01:21:51,483
that I was with, that was indeed
what had happened.
1359
01:21:51,507 --> 01:21:55,187
So there you go.
1360
01:21:55,211 --> 01:21:57,823
That's one of those St. Louis
things that you're not going
1361
01:21:57,847 --> 01:22:01,026
to hear anywhere else,
and I think it's sad
1362
01:22:01,050 --> 01:22:04,863
that somebody
gave their life for the child.
1363
01:22:04,887 --> 01:22:08,667
If the story is true,
perhaps William Peter Blatty
1364
01:22:08,691 --> 01:22:10,736
knew this
before writing the climax
1365
01:22:10,760 --> 01:22:13,639
to his screenplay,
"The Exorcist."
1366
01:22:13,663 --> 01:22:16,909
In the shocking scene,
a priest takes the devil
1367
01:22:16,933 --> 01:22:20,779
into his own body
and then ends his life.
1368
01:22:27,176 --> 01:22:28,754
The St. Louis exorcism
1369
01:22:28,778 --> 01:22:32,157
inspired one of the most iconic
horror films of all time.
1370
01:22:35,117 --> 01:22:37,095
Yet the real case of Roland Doe
1371
01:22:37,119 --> 01:22:40,632
and its strange
aftermath remains unresolved.
1372
01:22:46,195 --> 01:22:49,107
We're still talking about
this case because it was made
1373
01:22:49,131 --> 01:22:52,344
into one of the greatest
horror movies of all time,
1374
01:22:52,368 --> 01:22:55,580
and then you find out that
there's a story behind the story
1375
01:22:55,604 --> 01:22:56,915
and that it's real?
1376
01:22:56,939 --> 01:22:59,151
You're never going to
stop talking about it
1377
01:22:59,175 --> 01:23:02,220
because that's what
profound stories do.
1378
01:23:02,244 --> 01:23:04,323
They stay with us.
1379
01:23:04,347 --> 01:23:07,559
How can a child go
from being innocent and pure
1380
01:23:07,583 --> 01:23:09,027
to a monster?
1381
01:23:09,051 --> 01:23:10,629
I think that's interesting.
1382
01:23:10,653 --> 01:23:15,600
And I think with people,
that's where the curiosity lies.
1383
01:23:15,624 --> 01:23:18,637
I think for other
people, they see it as a warning.
1384
01:23:18,661 --> 01:23:21,306
Why why in the world
would a 13-year-old boy
1385
01:23:21,330 --> 01:23:25,177
be possessed by some evil
or demonic presence?
1386
01:23:25,201 --> 01:23:27,980
Why? What did he ever do?
Nothing.
1387
01:23:28,004 --> 01:23:31,149
This is just a kid
living his life in 1949.
1388
01:23:31,173 --> 01:23:34,252
There's that fear of
if it can happen to him,
1389
01:23:34,276 --> 01:23:35,454
it could happen to me.
1390
01:23:35,478 --> 01:23:36,888
It could happen to anyone.
1391
01:23:36,912 --> 01:23:38,623
If it's real,
1392
01:23:38,647 --> 01:23:44,596
then this could happen to
anyone, any time, any day.
1393
01:23:44,620 --> 01:23:46,531
For those who believe,
1394
01:23:46,555 --> 01:23:51,436
the exorcism of Roland Doe
endures as a haunting warning
1395
01:23:51,460 --> 01:23:54,306
evil walks among us,
1396
01:23:54,330 --> 01:23:56,274
and the devil's greatest trick
1397
01:23:56,298 --> 01:24:01,346
is making us believe
he doesn't exist.
1398
01:24:01,370 --> 01:24:04,872
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