Michael Zane is the boyfriend of closeted gay standup comedian Ellis Joyner. Zane wanted to make their relationship public, but Joyner was afraid that his career would be hurt as a result and kept his sexual orientation silent.
When Joyner was killed on the subway, Zane was questioned due to his past arrest for aggravated assault and the discovery of his texts in which he was arguing with Joyner about their relationship. It was later discovered that the arrest was wrongful and based on racial profiling by the arresting officers who were responding to a bar fight that Zane was trying to break up. Zane then identified the real killer, Brandon Arnou. (L&O: "Facade")