Comedian known for Kamala Harris impression sues Hinge date over alleged murder attempt

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Louise Thomas

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A standup comic known for her Kamala Harris impressions met a man on Hinge who almost immediately professed his eternal devotion then tried to murder her in a jealous rage, according to a $20 million lawsuit obtained by The Independent.

The attack was so vicious, Sienna Hubert-Ross, 25, says she lost out on a part in a major network television show after being forced to audition “while covered in bruises and suffering from the mental trauma of the event, which negatively impacted her performance and she was not offered the role.”

Since then, Hubert-Ross — who, coincidentally, is starring in an upcoming indie film about a dating app that turns deadly — has suffered from suicidal ideation, depression, severe insomnia, and acute stress disorder, and has lost interest in men and relationships altogether, her lawsuit contends.

In an emailed statement, attorney Brett Gallaway, who is representing Hubert-Ross, said: “We are proud of Ms Hubert-Ross for having the courage to come forward as an advocate for victims of domestic violence and even more so, as an advocate for herself.

“The allegations against Mr Lane are very serious as it was a brutal attack leaving both physical and emotional scars that will haunt her for the rest of her life. Mr Lane will now be forced to answer for his crimes, and we look forward to ensuring he pays for his cowardly actions.”

Hinge did not respond on Tuesday to requests for comment. Lane, who does not have an attorney listed in court records, was unable to be reached.

Hubert-Ross and Oliver Lane went on their first date on May 14, 2024, according to her complaint.

“It was apparent that Lane was very interested in Hubert-Ross’ public persona as he gushed, almost to the point of obsession, over Hubert-Ross’ social media presence and comedy skits,” the complaint states. “Within approximately a week-and-a-half of dating, Lane told Hubert-Ross that he loved her, and the two soon began functionally co-habitating together.”

To demonstrate their commitment, Hubert-Ross agreed to end things with two other men she had been casually seeing, and Lane said he would cut off communication with an ex-girlfriend he still talked to regularly, according to the complaint.

But things quickly became rocky. Lane, whose father is the chairman of Morgan Stanley’s European real estate division, wanted his friend Will to live with them, a “third-wheel” arrangement Hubert-Ross was not keen on, the complaint goes on.

“Perhaps of the greatest concern with Lane’s proposed living arrangement was that Hubert-Ross believed Will had a homosexual love interest in Lane and if they lived together, Will and Lane would engage in a romantic affair,” it says.

In late July, while Hubert-Ross and Lane were out at a bar together, the complaint claims Lane “became enraged” while discussing their living situation and got physical with Hubert-Ross before screaming at her, “I’m going to f*****g kill you!”

The next day, when Hubert-Ross “continued to voice her concern” over the idea of Lane’s friend moving in with them, Lane began shoving Hubert-Ross while shouting about how much she “stressed him out,” according to the complaint.

“At this point, Hubert-Ross became so concerned about Lane’s violent outbursts and assaults that she ultimately conceded and agreed for her and Lane to live with Will,” the complaint states.

In early August, Hubert-Ross and Lane met up with several friends at a bar, one of whom Hubert-Ross had had “a romantic encounter” with several years prior, according to the complaint. A furious Lane became fixated on this, berating Hubert-Ross about it to the point of verbal abuse, the complaint alleges.

That’s when Lane “accidentally disclosed” that he had remained in contact with his ex, telling her in texts Hubert-Ross saw that “she was the only one for him,” and that Lane “often woke up thinking about her, when he was in bed with Hubert-Ross,” the complaint states.

Caught red-handed, Lane yelled at Hubert-Ross, calling her an “immature little b***h” and a “little c**t” while throwing her around the kitchen, according to the complaint.

“Before Hubert-Ross could review any further, Lane snatched his phone back from her and violently threw her into the stove,” the complaint says. “Hubert-Ross stayed on the ground, stunned and shocked by what had just occurred. Unfortunately for Hubert-Ross, this was just the beginning of Lane’s violent assault and attempted murder.”

As Hubert-Ross “laid terrified on the kitchen floor,” Lane, who is several inches taller and at least 50 pounds heavier than Hubert-Ross, grabbed her by the arms, dragged her into the bathroom, and threw her into the bathtub, the complaint continues. Unable to defend herself from the assault, Hubert-Ross pleaded with Lane to simply break up with her and stop hurting her, it says.

“Lane responded by shouting in her face: ‘You ruin fucking everything you little c**t,’” according to the complaint.

Lane then dragged Hubert-Ross out of the bathtub and into the living room, pinned her to the floor, and told her he hated her “and wanted her to die,” the complaint alleges. Hubert-Ross “fully expected” to die at Lane’s hands, and when he briefly left the room, she was able to grab her phone, text her friend Sarah, and “frantically” call her mom, the complaint states.

Hubert-Ross’s mother conferenced in Sarah, and the two “could only helplessly listen to the horrific events that continued to unfold,” according to the complaint. They heard Lane pick Hubert-Ross up and slam her onto his bed, after which he threw her to the floor, causing her to hit her head against the bedframe and briefly lose consciousness, the complaint contends.

When she came to, Lane “continued to throw Hubert-Ross around the room… then sat on top of Hubert-Ross on the bed, propped her up and violently slapped her across the face at full strength multiple times,” the complaint says, adding, “Lane also bit her on the arm.”

“During this part of the assault, Lane called Hubert-Ross a ‘little child’ and told her he wanted to kill her,” the complaint alleges. “Hubert-Ross’ mother and Sarah heard everything. Lane then put his right hand around Hubert-Ross’s neck and began to choke her. Sensing that Lane was now trying to kill her, Hubert-Ross kicked him in a last ditch attempt to save herself.”

However, this incensed Lane, who continued the brutal assault as Hubert-Ross begged him to stop. Yet, the complaint says, “rather than relent to her pleas, [Lane] dialed up the attack and took a pillow, put it over Hubert-Ross’s head and mouth and began to suffocate her.”

“Hubert-Ross somehow managed to escape this attempted murder and run out of the room, but Lane quickly followed and grabbed her by the arm to drag her back to the bedroom,” it asserts.

There, Lane took a swing at Hubert-Ross but missed, shattering a glass door, instead, according to the complaint. Before Lane “could then finish the job and kill Hubert-Ross, he stepped on the broken glass which temporarily disabled him in time for the police – called by Sarah – to arrive at the scene,” the complaint states.

The officers immediately arrested Lane and took “a beaten and terrified Hubert-Ross” for treatment, according to the complaint, which says she applied for, and received, an order of protection against Lane.

At his August 8 arraignment, Lane pleaded not guilty to one felony count of strangulation in the second degree, one misdemeanor count of assault in the third degree, and one misdemeanor count of criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation. He is scheduled to appear back in court on November 20.

Hubert-Ross has since needed intensive psychological treatment, and her “emotional distress has resulted in a strong and ongoing dissociative interest in men and relationships and will likely result in years of ongoing expensive therapy and professional consulting,” the complaint states.

She has also since “disengaged” from her personal and professional life, canceling numerous jobs “because of her battered appearance and/or the mental and emotional impact from Lane’s attack,” and missing out on others, such as the coveted role on a “very well-known broadcast network television show.”

Hubert-Ross is demanding $20 million on four causes of action: $5 million for assault, $5 million for battery, $5 million for intentional infliction of emotional distress, and $5 million for false imprisonment.

Although dating apps are today one of the most common ways for people to meet, a 2022 research study found an outsize number of sexual predators using the apps “as hunting grounds for vulnerable victims.”

In Michigan, a 24-year-old woman was kidnapped and tortured for three weeks by a man she met on the dating app MeetMe. Last year, a Pennsylvania man was arrested on charges of rape, armed robbery, and carjacking for allegedly terrorizing two men he met on Tinder.