Around New England

Sleep-Inducing Drug Killed Brian Joyce, Medical Examiner Says

December 4, 2018

Former Massachusetts state senator died from an overdose of a sleep-inducing drug, but the medical examiner could not determine if it was accidental or suicide.

Acute pentobarbital intoxication was the cause of death, the Massachusetts medical examiner’s office said, according to MassLive.com.

Joyce, 56, was found dead at his home in Westport on September 27, a day after he was involved in a one-car accident when he swerved to avoid a deer and hit a telephone pole.

At the time Joyce was under indictment on federal bribery and kickback charges from his time as a state senator.

Joyce, a Democrat from Milton, served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1998 until January 2017.