Brian A. Joyce

In January 2018, Joyce's former accountant, John Nardozzi, was indicted on Federal charges that he helped prepare and file false tax returns for Joyce, misclassifying over $2 million of personal expenses as business expenses, in order to reduce Joyce's tax burden. In October 2019, Nardozzi was convicted by a jury of helping Joyce cheat the IRS out of approximately $600,000 in tax payments, and in January 2020, Nardozzi was sentenced to 18 months in Federal prison.

On October 8th, 2018, US Attorney Andrew Lelling announced that he had dismissed all criminal charges against Joyce, in light of his untimely death.

In the early morning hours of September 26, 2018, Joyce was involved in a single car crash when he reportedly swerved to avoid hitting a deer, crashing through a telephone pole, and finally stopping after hitting a fence.

On September 27, 2018, Joyce was found dead in his home in Westport, with no foul play suspected.

On December 4, 2018, Massachusetts state medical examiner’s office reported Joyce's death was caused by an overdose of pentobarbital and ruled the manner of death was "acute pentobarbital intoxication" and remains undetermined, pending a “thorough death investigation.”

In December 2017, Joyce was indicted by a Federal grand jury on charges he collected over $1 million in bribes and kickbacks that he laundered through his law office and another personal business.

Joyce pleaded not guilty in December 2017 to charges including racketeering, money laundering, mail fraud, conspiracy and scheming to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Joyce was released on a $250,000 bond.

On February 23, 2016, Joyce announced that he would not seek re-election to the Massachusetts State Senate for the next term.

On February 17, 2016, the FBI and IRS conducted a raid at Joyce's Washington Street law office. Joyce was under scrutiny for various ethical improprieties alleged by Boston Globe reporters, including having his campaign fund pay for his son's high school graduation party and accepting free or discounted services from a dry cleaner in Randolph, Massachusetts. According to the FBI, the raid was part of a federal investigation, though no charges have been filed at this time. The nature of the raid has again raised recurring questions about the close relationship between the Boston Globe and the office of Boston's U.S. Attorney, Carmen Ortiz. Many of the Globe's allegations were proven inaccurate by other journalists, who expressed concern that the Globe may have knowingly printed misleading stories about Joyce.

During the winter of 2016, The Boston Globe reported that the federal government has seated a grand jury to look into Joyce’s conduct.

Joyce voted against public opinion on several major issues. In 2004, after Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, Joyce preserved equal marriage rights by filibustering a bill that would have banned same-sex marriage. At the time, Joyce explained his decision by stating that "I believe in an America where no religious body seeks to impose its will, directly or indirectly. Tradition as a rationale for discrimination is not persuasive."

Joyce was born in Winchester, Massachusetts. He graduated from Milton High School in 1980. He received his bachelor's degree from Boston College School of Management in 1984, and he graduated magna cum laude from Suffolk University Law School in 1990. He practiced law in Milton, Massachusetts.

Brian Augustine Joyce (September 5, 1962 – September 27, 2018) was an American politician who was a Massachusetts State Senator for the Democratic Party. He served for nine terms, representing the Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth district, which includes Avon, Braintree Precincts 1A, 1B, 2A & 2B, Canton, East Bridgewater Precinct 4, Easton Precincts 3-6, Milton, Randolph, Sharon Precincts 2 & 3, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater.