If I walk up to a car, smash the window, open the door, rip out the ignition and try to hot wire the car before giving up after 10 minutes and getting caught while leaving the scene, I'd be charged with damage to property and attempted theft. It doesn't matter that I was actually just trying to see if I knew enough about car electronics to be able to start the car, and had no intention of actually driving off with it. In the eyes of 99.9% of people watching me, there is clear intent to steal the car.
In court, a history of starting cars and leaving them behind with the engines running might throw some doubt on what the obvious intent is.
But beating someone up, and putting him in a coffin, all while trying to make him believe he was going to die? They'd have to have had EMS on standby, in case they went too far, or some similar measure to indicate a different intent.
If he then beat you harder than he had ever beaten you before, and then also threw you into a coffin while making further threats against your life, then yes, you could probably get him locked up.