Kristen Doute Reacts to James Kennedy’s Domestic Violence Arrest

Kristen Doute is weighing in after her ex-boyfriend James Kennedy was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence.

Doute, 41, who is currently pregnant with her and fiancé Luke Broderick’s baby, took to Instagram Stories on Thursday, December 12, to share an article about Kennedy’s legal issues, writing “Finally.”

Us Weekly confirmed that police were dispatched to Kennedy’s home after receiving a call about an argument between a man and a woman on Tuesday, December 10. The authorities saw Kennedy, 32, allegedly grabbing a woman but the officers who responded to the scene did not see any visible injuries.

Vanderpump Rules fans are familiar with Doute and Kennedy’s tumultuous past. The former couple started dating in 2014 after her split from Tom Sandoval. Doute was an original cast member on the hit Bravo series and Kennedy joined her on screen during season 3.

Their on-again, off-again romance was documented over the years as they faced many volatile moments, including Doute hitting Kennedy at Scheana Shay’s wedding to Mike Shay in 2014. In another season, Kennedy spit on Doute’s door during a fight.

Meanwhile, Kennedy’s ex-fiancée, Rachel “Raquel” Leviss, previously alluded that there was a larger reason for their 2021 split. Leviss, 29, subsequently claimed that Doute’s casting on the Vanderpump Rules spinoff The Valley had to do with Doute keeping quiet about Kennedy’s alleged abuse.

“Kristen was just starting to talk about her tumultuous relationship with James and what happened behind closed doors. Then all of a sudden she’s presented with this spinoff,” Leviss claimed during her iHeartRadio podcast interview with Bethenny Frankel in August 2023. “I believe [it] is a way to silence her — to keep that under wraps — so that the longevity of Vanderpump Rules can continue.”

Leviss said she believed Doute’s past comments about how toxic things got between her and the DJ.

“I’ve seen him be a violent person so I have no doubt that what she’s saying is true. I hope that one day it will come to light and there will be justice,” she added. “It is interesting because the cast members that were fired and canceled at that time, now have this big comeback because this scandal is so salacious that we are the ultimate villains — Tom [Sandoval] and I — and now they have a platform to redeem themselves.”

A Bravo spokesperson released a statement in response to Leviss’ comments, telling Us Weekly at the time, “Kristen Doute was one of the people approached for an upcoming spinoff because she is part of the friend group that is featured on a new show.”

Kennedy has never publicly addressed Doute or Leviss’ claims. His girlfriend Ally Lewber, however, previously denied that Kennedy “physically hurt” or “assaulted” her.

“That’s crazy to me that that’s the most asked question [for me]. That makes me really sad, because no, I’m good. That never happened. There was no physical altercation,” she told Shay on her “Scheananigans” podcast in February. “Yes, we were in the car together. I thought we were having fun. We were having fun. But then James and I did get into an argument, but there was no physical assault. I was not bleeding, and they didn’t have to get out of the car and separate us. So that didn’t happen. That’s all I’ll say on that.”

Lewber continued: “We’re good. We’re happy. He’s working on himself. I know in the past that he has anger issues. So I get it. But I just want people to know that I’m good and I’m safe and I love him.”