History Main / InterrogatingTheDead

* ''Journeyman Wizard'' by Mary Frances Zambrano has the heroes perform a Questing (the magical version of this), only to bring back the deceased's vengeful ghost instead.

* Sinestro does this in ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternFirstFlight'', reanimating a crook he executed to question him on the location of the Yellow Element.
-->'''Crook:''' Where...\\

'''Crook:''' Dead?\\

* A specialty of the Lan Sect in ''Literature/MoDaoZuShi.'' Members are taught a musical language they can then infuse with spiritual power, allowing spirits to answer in the same language. If the questioner is strong enough, they can compel the spirit to only speak the truth. Wei Wuxian also uses a technique called Empathy (it's unclear whether he invented, refined, or merely prefers the technique) that is far more dangerous but also far more comprehensive, allowing him to experience the spirit's memories.

* ''Franchise/AceAttorney''
** The arrest of Yanni Yogi (from the [[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney first game]]) is based on testimony from a spirit medium channeling the murder victim. The notoriety caused by this case ruined the reputation of Misty Fey and drove her into self-imposed exile in order to save face for the rest of her clan, and may be one of the reasons Phoenix never channels the victim despite having a [[WillingChanneler spirit medium]] for an assistant.
** And in ''Trials and Tribulations'', you get to cross-examine a ghost using the same method. Said ghost [[spoiler:is the BigBad and Phoenix’s psycho ex-girlfriend]].
** Part of ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice Spirit of Justice]]''[='s=] court gameplay involves channeling the recently deceased in order to play back what they saw in the moments before they died in a large pool of water at the center of the courtroom. It is what the kingdom of Khura'in does in lieu of letting defense attorneys argue on behalf of the accused (which apparently they outlawed sometime prior to the game so they could move to the theocratic court system). Phoenix's job is to look through this "footage" and figure out what doesn't jive with the facts.
*** [[spoiler:"The Rite of Turnabout" is the first time Maya channels a victim onscreen. The victim is then interrogated and cross-examined like any other witness. The victim was technically one of the culprits, as he [[DrivenToSuicide killed himself.]]]]

* A specialty of the Lan Sect in ''Literature/MoDaoZuShi.'' Members are taught a musical language they can then infuse with spiritual power, compelling spirits to answer in the same language. If the questioner is strong enough, they can compel the spirit to only speak the truth. Wei Wuxian also uses a technique called Empathy (it's unclear whether he invented, refined, or merely prefers the technique) that is far more dangerous but also far more comprehensive, allowing him to experience the spirit's memories.

Death. The End. Once you're down for the count, you aren't getting back up. There's no way you can tell the police or other law enforcement agencies [[WhoDunnitToMe who dunnit to you]]. Fortunately, the authorities have [[AppliedPhlebotinum advanced technology]], or in fantasy settings, [[{{Necromancer}} necromancers]] at their disposal that can either [[BackFromTheDead revive you]] or scan your post-mortem mind in order to gather information. So just lie back on that slab and start talking.

Sometimes overlaps with DeadPersonConversation and ISeeDeadPeople; and the people who do this are {{Police Psychic}}s if they work with law enforcement. Compare FateWorseThanDeath, when the interrogation is more about torturing the dead.

* ''Series/MotherlandFortSalem'': A spell is capable of making the recently dead and relate their last moments. This is used to get intel or find information about how someone died. The necromancers do this to [[spoiler: Porter,]] to see if he truly committed suicide. [[spoiler: The Spree interfere with the ritual to protect Scylla, who actually killed him.]]

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'': A little-used power of the SpaceMarines is that they can consume a creatures brain to experience its memories.

Sometimes overlaps with DeadPersonConversation and ISeeDeadPeople. Compare FateWorseThanDeath, when the interrogation is more about torturing the dead.

* ''Series/MotherlandFortSalem'': A spell is capable of making the recently dead and relate their last moments. This is used to get intel or find information about how someone died. The necromancers do this to [[spoiler: Porter]] to see if he truly committed suicide. [[spoiler: The Spree interfere with the ritual to protect Scylla, who actually killed him.]]

* ''Series/MotherlandFortSalem'': A spell is capable of making the recently dead and relate their last moments. In order to cover up Scylla making Porter kill himself with magic, her superior from the Spree enchants his corpse so it says he willingly did this.

** Also played straight-ish (as straight as any trope on the Disc can be played, anyways) in ''Discworld/MakingMoney'', where a dead professor from the Unseen University is brought back to consult on an ancient civilization.

* A shinto priest allows the victim to speak through him by magic and give his version of the murder in ''Film/{{Rashomon}}''.

* ''Film/{{Hellboy}}'': Hellboy digs up the corpse Ivan and reanimates him to have a guide in the Russian cemetary.

* ''Series/{{Charmed}}''

-->'''Host:''' ''(notices the knife sticking out of his chest)'' How am I still alive?\\

* In Jonah Hex, this is pretty much the protagonists super power

*** "The Rite of Turnabout" is the first time Maya channels a victim onscreen. The victim is then interrogated and cross-examined like any other witness. [[spoiler:The victim was technically one of the culprits, as he [[DrivenToSuicide killed himself.]]

** And in ''Trials and Tribulations'', you get to cross-examine a ghost using the same method.

*** "The Rite of Turnabout" is the first time Maya channels a victim onscreen. The victim is then interrogated and cross-examined like any other witness.

* A common use of nekomancy in ComicBook/{{Monstress}}, and the Sword of the East has eight children who survived the battle of Constantine killed so their ghosts can be more reliably interrogated.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has the third-level clerical spell ''[[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/speakWithDead.htm Speak with Dead.]]'' Although it actually draws information from an "imprint" left on the body rather than truly bringing them back to life. It allows you to ask one question of the dead person per two caster levels (up to 10 for a max-level cleric).