I came across this article and had to share, it's definitely not the first of it's type and probably won't be the last either.
Guyana Woman
Convicted in Exorcism Death
GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- A Guyana jury has convicted a woman of manslaughter for killing a friend during an exorcism ritual.
Patricia Alves, 43, was found guilty late Tuesday of killing Kamille Seenauth, 34, on Feb. 15, 2002. She allegedly beat Seenauth in an attempt to
drive evil spirits out of her.
Seenauth's battered body was found in a shallow grave in Alves' backyard the day after the beating. Neighbors called police after seeing a foot
sticking out of the ground.
Alves led a congregation of believers in spirits for many years, setting up what Guyanese call a Spirit Church in her home in the capital of
Georgetown.
Some people, many of them women, turn to self-styled African or Hindu exorcists for spiritual help in this former British colony of 750,000 people.
Lengthy prayers and ritual beatings are common during such sessions.
Alves faces up to 10 years in prison. She will be sentenced Sept. 28.
The practice of "Obeah" is quite common in this region and I'd venture to say that the majority of the population of this country believes in the
paranormal even though they have different religious backgrounds. Possessions are also common and usually the first diagnosis by some "pandit" or
"obeah woman" and the poor people instead of seeking costly medical help turn to these cheap witchdoctors.
While I do believe in the paranormal and the possibility of possessions, I do not believe you will be physically able to "beat the demon" out of a
person
