Retired Massachusetts Superior Court Justice Dennis J. Curran will present a talk on the Salem Witch Trials at the Milton Public Library on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m.

The program, titled "The Salem Witch Trials: What Really Happened," is part of Curran's "Great Trials That Changed History: A Judge's Perspective" lecture series, according to the library's event listing. The talk will take place in the Keys Community Room at 476 Canton Ave.

Curran served as a Massachusetts Superior Court judge for 15 years and presided over 450 civil and criminal trials, according to the library. He has received four statewide awards for judicial excellence. A graduate of Boston Latin School, Curran earned bachelor's and master's degrees in an accelerated joint-degree program from the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from the University of Virginia. He has also taught law at Tufts University, the Roger Williams School of Law and in Brown University's summer program, according to a Freedom's Way National Heritage Area listing for a separate Curran event.

What can Milton residents expect? In a similar talk at the Medfield Public Library in October 2024, Curran worked to debunk five major myths about the trials, Hometown Weekly reported. Among them: that victims were burned, that all victims were women and that the accusations stemmed from superstition rather than religious piety.

Curran told the Medfield audience that the witchcraft accusations began in Danvers, not Salem, and that the most severely affected town was Andover, where one in ten people were accused. He said 24 different towns were involved in the trials. Salem's main role, he said, was hosting the court where the trials were held.

Curran also challenged the theory that ergot fungus poisoning explained the accusations. He argued the underlying issues were social, not medical, Hometown Weekly reported. That Medfield talk drew a full house.

During the trials, 29 people were convicted, 19 were executed, one was tormented to death and two died waiting for trial, Curran said at that presentation.

Registration is encouraged. Registrants will receive a reminder email. Residents can sign up on the library's website or call 617-698-5757. The Friends of the Milton Public Library sponsors the program.

Upcoming community events:

  • Thursday, Oct. 22: "The Salem Witch Trials: What Really Happened" with Justice Dennis J. Curran, 7 p.m., Milton Public Library, 476 Canton Ave.
  • Friday, Oct. 23: Deadline to submit entries for the Blue Hills photo contest.