Brian A. Joyce

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/dartmouth-ma/brian-joyce-8007970|title=Brian Joyce Obituary - South Dartmouth, MA|website=Dignity Memorial}}

File:Brian A. Joyce BAJ0.jpg

File:BAJ at DCR Podium.jpg

During his tenure in the Senate, Joyce distinguished himself as a fierce advocate for the rights of disabled children and elderly citizens. He was credited with securing hundreds of millions of dollars for public schools in his district, and he was instrumental in the revitalization of the Neponset River and Blue Hills reservations.

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.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/13/us/massachusetts-lawmakers-after-heated-debate-put-off-vote-on-gay-marriage.html?_r=0 |title=Massachusetts Lawmakers, After Heated Debate, Put Off Vote on Gay Marriage |work=NYTimes.com |date=2004-02-13 |accessdate=2015-02-21 }} 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."{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/la-me-timelinegaymarriage-2004feb12-story.html |title=Gay Marriages in Mass. Survive Vote |work=LATimes.com |date=2004-02-12 |accessdate=2015-02-21 }}

In May 2006, Joyce traveled to Pakistan in support of Bush Administration's efforts to court the allied nation in the war on terror, where he talked foreign policy on state-run PTV, joining then Republican Representative Mark Martin of Arkansas and New Mexico Attorney General Hector H. Balderas on a top Pakistani talk show.{{Cite news|last=Quraishi|first=Ahmed|date=May 2006|title=Three Young American Politicians in Pakistan|work=PTV Network|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpdMSCHsXj4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/ZpdMSCHsXj4 |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|access-date=18 June 2021}}{{cbignore}}

Joyce strongly opposed the Judge Rotenberg Center during his tenure in office, and he tried repeatedly to ban the Center's use of electric shock treatment on disabled children. The Judge Rotenberg Center has been condemned for torture by the United Nations special rapporteur on torture.{{Cite web|title=UN Calls Shock Treatment at Mass. School 'Torture'|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/shock-therapy-massachussetts-school/story?id=11047334|access-date=2020-08-06|website=ABC News|language=en}}

During his final term in office, Joyce served in the following roles:

• Assistant Majority Leader{{cite web | url=https://brianajoyce.com/about-brian/ | title=About Brian | the Official Website of Senator Brian A. Joyce }}
• Chair, Senate Committee on Bills in the Third Reading
• Chair, Special Senate Committee to Improve Government
• Vice Chair, Senate Committee on Redistricting
• Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

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 that time.{{cite news |last1=Valencia |first1=Milton J. |last2=Herndon |first2=Astead |last3=Estes |first3=Andrea |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/02/17/fbi-raids-canton-law-office-senator-brian-joyce/a500LquGdop0qT9sE2ziLM/story.html |title=FBI, IRS raid Canton law office of state Senator Brian Joyce |work=Boston Globe |date=2016-02-17 |accessdate=2016-02-18 }}{{cite news |last=Atwater |first=John |url=http://www.wcvb.com/politics/fbi-irs-investigating-state-sen-brian-joyce/38042986 |title=FBI, IRS investigating Massachusetts state Sen. Brian Joyce |work=WCVB-TV |publisher=Hearst Stations Inc. |date=2016-02-18 |accessdate=2016-02-18 }}

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.{{Cite news|title = US Attorney Carmen Ortiz Again Shows Her Gratitude to the Boston Globe|url = http://thetrialofwhiteybulger.com/us-attorney-carmen-ortiz-again-shows-her-gratitude-to-the-boston-globe-14782/|website = Trekking Toward The Truth|access-date = 2016-02-23|language = en-US|last = Connolly|first = Matt| date=22 February 2016 }}{{Cite news|title = Carmen Ortiz's Big Error: Cooperating with the Boston Globe|url = http://thetrialofwhiteybulger.com/carmen-ortizs-big-error-cooperating-with-the-boston-globe-80347/|website = Trekking Toward The Truth|access-date = 2016-02-23|language = en-US|last = Connolly|first = Matt| date=30 April 2015 }} The Boston's U.S. Attorney's Office has since come under increased scrutiny for abuses of power for political purposes.{{cite web |title=US attorney in Massachusetts leaked sensitive information to journalist to influence political campaign and lied under oath, federal reports say {{!}} CNN Politics |date=2023-05-17 |website=CNN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603081222/https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/17/politics/rachael-rollins-doj-report-leak/index.html |archive-date=2023-06-03 |url-status=live |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/17/politics/rachael-rollins-doj-report-leak/index.html}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/questions-raised-over-globes-joyce-story/|title=Questions raised over Globe's Joyce story|date=August 22, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/joyce-absolved-of-wrongdoing/|title=Joyce absolved of wrongdoing|first=Jack|last=Sullivan|date=September 7, 2016}}

On February 23, 2016, Joyce announced that he would not seek re-election to the Massachusetts State Senate for the next term.{{cite news |url=http://www.miltontimes.com/2016/02/sen-joyce-wont-run-again/ |title=Sen. Joyce won't run again |work=MiltonTimes.com |date=2016-02-23 |accessdate=2016-02-25 }}

During the winter of 2016, The Boston Globe reported that the federal government has seated a grand jury to look into Joyce's conduct.{{cite news |last1=Estes |first1=Andrea |last2=Valencia |first2=Milton J. |last3=Ellement |first3=John R. |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/12/08/former-state-senator-brian-joyce-indicted-federal-charges/B5XIyhM6DDQlJt5V78VoXO/story.html |title=Former state senator Brian Joyce indicted on federal charges |work=The Boston Globe |date=2017-12-08 |accessdate=2017-12-08 }}

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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/12/08/former-state-senator-brian-joyce-indicted-federal-charges/B5XIyhM6DDQlJt5V78VoXO/story.html|title=Former state Senator Brian Joyce indicted on federal charges |work=BostonGlobe.com|access-date=2018-01-30}} He was arrested by Federal agents on December 8, 2017, for the multiple felony counts of the indictment.{{Cite web |date=2017-12-08 |title=District of Massachusetts {{!}} Former State Senator Brian Joyce Arrested and Charged in Federal Indictment {{!}} United States Department of Justice |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/former-state-senator-brian-joyce-arrested-and-charged-federal-indictment |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=www.justice.gov |language=en}}

Legal experts have expressed doubt over the merit of the charges against Joyce, and many of the governments' allegations were later disproven. Prosecutors' attempt to disqualify Joyce's attorney was met with alarm by members of the Boston legal community, who viewed it as an unprecedented infringement on a defendant's Sixth Amendment rights.{{Cite web|url=http://issuespot.bbablogs.org/2018/04/05/bba-files-amicus-brief-in-u-s-v-brian-joyce/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801225518/http://issuespot.bbablogs.org/2018/04/05/bba-files-amicus-brief-in-u-s-v-brian-joyce/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 1, 2019|title=Issue Spot BBA Files Amicus Brief in U.S. v. Brian Joyce}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.woodnathanson.com/content/2018/4/3/disqualification-of-joyces-counsel-a-threat-to-sixth-amendment|title=Disqualification of Joyce's Counsel a Threat to Sixth Amendment|website=Wood & Nathanson, LLP|date=3 April 2018 }} The ACLU, along with the Massachusetts Bar Association and dozens of individual Massachusetts attorneys, jointly filed an amici curiae brief defending Joyce's Constitutional right to counsel and rebuking the Government for its overreach.https://www.massbar.org/docs/default-source/publications-document-library/ejournal/2017-18/04-02-18-joyce-motion-and-brief.pdf?Status=Temp {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} The conduct of federal prosecutors in the case has exacerbated ongoing concerns over the legal ethics of the Boston U.S. Attorney's Office.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/appeals-court-carmen-ortiz-aaron-swartz_n_585856bce4b0b3ddfd8e571b|title=Appeals Court Deals Rebuke To Controversial Prosecutor Who Targeted Aaron Swartz|first=Daniel|last=Marans|date=December 19, 2016|website=HuffPost}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2019/04/26/opinion-nancy-gertner-attorney-lelling-abuse-power/5JovmkwF6OftJyknVfqLDO/story.html|title=US Attorney Lelling's abuse of power - The Boston Globe|website=BostonGlobe.com}}

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.{{cite news |last=Sweet |first=Laurel J. |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_coverage/2018/01/former_state_lawmaker_brian_joyces_partner_nabbed_on_tax_rap |title=Former state lawmaker Brian Joyce's partner nabbed on tax rap |work=Boston Herald |date=2018-01-30 |accessdate=2018-01-30 }}

The 102-page indictment accuses Joyce of turning his law office into a criminal enterprise, going so far as to accept hundreds of pounds of free coffee from a local Dunkin' Donuts owner.{{Cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/hundreds-pounds-dunkin-donuts-bribery-senator-743346|title=Hundreds of pounds of Dunkin' Donuts coffee part of bribery charges for Massachusetts state senator|date=2017-12-09|work=Newsweek|access-date=2018-01-30|language=en}}

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.{{Cite news|last=Tiernan|first=Erin|title=Accountant charged with helping ex-Sen. Brian Joyce defraud IRS|language=en|work=The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA|url=http://www.patriotledger.com/news/20180129/accountant-charged-with-helping-ex-sen-brian-joyce-defraud-irs|access-date=2018-01-30}} 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.{{Cite web|title=Accountant who helped Brian Joyce evade taxes sentenced to 18 months in prison |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/massachusetts/2020/01/09/accountant-who-helped-former-senator-brian-joyce-evade-taxes-sentenced-court/49uAaihZ28s0aRYMfs6MXK/story.html|date=9 January 2020|work=The Boston Globe|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-21}}

On October 8, 2018, US Attorney Andrew Lelling announced that he had dismissed all criminal charges against Joyce, in light of his untimely death.{{Cite news|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_coverage/2018/10/case_dismissed_against_brian_joyce_after_his_death|title=Case dismissed against Brian Joyce after his death|access-date=2018-10-09|language=en}}

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.{{cite news| author = Stout, Matt| title = Family of ex-senator Brian Joyce asks for donations to Innocence Project| newspaper = The Boston Globe| date = 2018-10-05| url = https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/10/05/family-senator-brian-joyce-asks-for-donations-innocence-project/nazXUvdL6SdWO9dDDbLndM/story.html| accessdate = 2018-10-05}}

On September 27, 2018, Joyce was found dead in his home in Westport, with no foul play suspected.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wcvb.com/article/former-state-senator-brian-joyce-found-dead/23495674|title=Former State Sen. Brian Joyce found dead|date=2018-09-27|work=WCVB|access-date=2018-09-27|language=en}}

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.”{{cite news |last=Cotter |first=Sean Philip |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2018/12/04/state-brian-joyce-died-of-drug-od/ |title=State: Brian Joyce died of drug OD |work=Boston Herald |date=2018-12-04 |accessdate=2018-12-05 }}

Joyce was a lifelong resident of Milton, Massachusetts, where he lived with his wife, Mary. They had five children.

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.mass.gov/legis/member/baj0.htm Senator Brian A. Joyce biography on Mass.gov]

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Category:Democratic Party Massachusetts state senators

Category:1962 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:Carroll School of Management alumni

Category:Suffolk University Law School alumni

Category:Politicians from Milton, Massachusetts

Category:People from Winchester, Massachusetts

Category:Massachusetts lawyers

Category:Drug-related deaths in Massachusetts

Category:20th-century American lawyers

Category:21st-century members of the Massachusetts General Court

Category:20th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court