The Associates Did It

About The Associates Did It

The official podcast of Carpenter & Associates - where Texas law meets real talk. Listen to our team of attorneys and special guests as we pull back the curtain on the legal world with insight, humor, and unfiltered stories from the courtroom and beyond. Each episode dives into the realities of law practice, from client challenges and courtroom chaos to the lessons that shape great attorneys. Whether we're breaking down billing, sharing funny stories, or discussing what separates good lawyers from bad, The Associates Did It gives listeners an authentic look inside life at one of Texas' most dynamic litigation firms. Produced by Carpenter & Associates - Dallas, Texas.

Publisher

Todd Cohen

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Nov 2025

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

74 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Oct 2026

   The Exorcism Trial of Anneliese Michel: Exorcisms, Starvation & the Failure to Intervene Part 3

   s Anneliese Michel’s condition deteriorated, those around her continued to seek a spiritual explanation. What happened when her need for medical care became overshadowed by the belief that she was possessed? Dr. Josh Carpenter examines the exorcisms, her worsening physical health, and the missed opportunities for intervention before her death. This episode explores the difficult intersection of mental health, religious belief, and responsibility, setting the stage for the investigation and trial that followed. Content note: Discussion of mental illness, starvation, and death. Takeaways Tragic intersection of faith and mental health Consequences of neglecting medical care Mental health vs. spiritual beliefs Importance of medical intervention Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Annalise Michel's Story 03:00 The Nature of Possession and Exorcism 05:47 Annalise's Behavioral Changes and Deterioration 09:52 The Role of Secrecy and Groupthink 12:57 The Final Days of Annalise Michel 16:10 The Legal Aftermath of Annalise's Death 20:00 Understanding Annalise's Mental State 23:59 The Medical Perspective on Annalise's Condition 28:05 The Impact of Religious Beliefs on Treatment 31:56 Conclusion: The Legacy of Annalise Michel 44:40 The Life of Annalise Michelle 48:11 Evidence and Interpretation 55:00 The Downward Spiral 01:01:01 The Role of Beliefs 01:06:54 The Final Days 01:19:07 Investigation and Accountability

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   The Exorcism Trial of Anneliese Michel: When Medicine, Mental Health & Faith Collide Part 2

   This episode of the Associates Did It Podcast continues the story of Anneliese Michel, examining the events that transformed the life of an intelligent, deeply religious young woman into one of the most controversial cases involving mental illness, faith, and exorcism. The episode traces Anneliese’s upbringing, her neurological and psychological struggles, recurring seizures, hallucination-like experiences, depression, and periods of severe sleep deprivation. As her condition became more complex and traditional medical treatment failed to provide clear answers, the people around her increasingly began interpreting her symptoms through a spiritual lens. What began as a medical problem gradually became something very different. Behaviors that could be viewed as neurological or psychiatric symptoms were increasingly understood by members of her family and religious community as evidence of demonic possession. The episode explores how those interpretations developed, how cultural and religious beliefs shaped the way her suffering was understood, and how prolonged sleep deprivation, physical deterioration, fear, guilt, and loss of control may have intensified her condition. At the center of the story is a difficult question: What happens when medicine, mental health, religious belief, and personal conviction all offer competing explanations for the same suffering? Rather than attempting to prove or disprove the supernatural, Dr. Josh Carpenter examines the evidence, the decisions made by the people surrounding Anneliese, and the consequences of allowing one explanation to become more powerful than every other possibility. As the story moves toward the authorization of formal exorcisms, the case becomes not simply a story about possession, but about responsibility, judgment, belief, and the devastating consequences that can occur when a vulnerable person is caught between competing systems of authority. Takeaways Understanding legal history Exploring mental health and spirituality Sleep deprivation worsens mental health Cultural perceptions shape guilt Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 01:06 Exploring Legal Principles 02:34 Annalise Michel's Background 03:05 Family and Religious Influences 07:31 Annalise's Early Life and Education 11:21 The Beginning of Neurological Issues 12:51 Seizures and Medical Evaluations 19:20 Health Decline and Hospitalization 24:29 Hallucinations and Disturbing Experiences 28:17 Return Home and Isolation 30:13 Resurgence of Seizures 37:14 University Life and Relationships 44:17 The Role of Exorcism 49:59 Transition to Spiritual Interpretation 51:23 The Evolution of Symptoms 52:54 The Impact of Sleep Deprivation 58:00 The Nature of Hallucinations 01:01:44 Understanding Guilt and Morality 01:04:31 Annalise's Compulsive Behaviors 01:10:53 The Role of Exorcism 01:19:43 The Deterioration of Annalise 01:28:38 Living Two Lives 01:32:49 The Theology of Suffering

3. 

   5 Oct 2026

   The Exorcism Trial: Anneliese Michel, Faith, Medicine & the Law Part 1

   In this episode of the Associates Did It Podcast, Dr. Josh Carpenter begins an in-depth examination of the tragic and controversial case of Anneliese Michel, a 23-year-old German woman whose death in 1976 followed years of seizures, psychiatric symptoms, medical treatment, and ultimately a series of authorized exorcisms. Her parents and two priests were later charged and convicted of negligent homicide, turning her death into a landmark case involving faith, medicine, responsibility, and the limits of personal belief. Rather than treating the case as a simple supernatural story, Josh approaches it as an attorney and investigator. What did the evidence actually show? What did Anneliese’s doctors know? What did her family believe? What information reached the priests and bishop? And when did observations about her behavior become conclusions about demonic possession? The episode follows Anneliese’s diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy, worsening depression and hallucinations, years of unsuccessful treatment, and the growing belief among members of her family and community that her condition might have a spiritual cause. Members of the clergy initially resisted requests for an exorcism and recommended continued medical treatment before the rite was eventually authorized in 1975. At the center of the episode is a question bigger than whether demons are real: what responsibility do people have to protect a suffering person when faith, medicine, authority, and uncertainty collide? The case raises difficult questions about confirmation bias, expertise, good intentions, medical responsibility, religious authority, and the danger of allowing one explanation to overpower every other possibility. Most importantly, the episode keeps Anneliese herself at the center of the story. Before she became internationally known because of the exorcisms performed on her, she was a student who hoped to become a teacher and live an ordinary life. This series examines not simply what people believed happened to her, but how her life was lost, what decisions were made along the way, and what the courtroom would later say about responsibility. This episode contains discussion of serious mental illness, religious distress, self-harm, neglect, and death. Viewer and listener discretion is advised. Takeaways Complex interplay of faith and mental health Importance of context in legal cases Evidence is crucial in decision-making Religious beliefs can complicate medical treatment Chapters 00:00 The Case of Anneliese Michel 04:00 Understanding the Context of the 1970s 06:00 Exploring Anneliese's Background 12:09 The Impact of Religious Beliefs 20:02 Medical Diagnosis and Misunderstandings 28:01 The Role of Exorcism in Anneliese's Life 35:47 Authority and Responsibility in Care 39:57 The Importance of Evidence in Care 42:06 Annalise's Deteriorating Condition 45:17 Community Beliefs and Exorcism Requests 48:11 The Role of Experts in the Case 51:10 Decision-Making in the Church 54:55 Understanding Exorcism and Its Implications 01:00:23 The Complexity of Parental Decisions 01:02:04 The Authorization of the Exorcism 01:07:05 Annalise's Personal Beliefs and Experiences 01:10:20 The Path Forward After Authorization

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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