“Not surprising” — Vanderpump Rules star Rachel Leviss’ lawyers release a statement upon James Kennedy’s arrest

Vanderpump Rules cast member James Kennedy was arrested on December 10, 2024, on alleged domestic abuse. Amidst the "scandoval" drama, Rachel Leviss filed a lawsuit against Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval in February 2024. In her lawsuit, Rachel mentioned her ex-fiancé James Kennedy's abusive behavior towards her that led to them going their separate ways in 2021.

When the news about Kennedy's arrest was revealed to the public, Rachel's lawyers, Mark Geragos and Bryan Freedman released a statement to People magazine on December 12, 2024. The statement mentioned that the news about his arrest "wasn't surprising" as Rachel's lawsuit had already stated this. It continued stating that NBC and Evolution "they, too, bear responsibility."

The statement said:

"This news is, unfortunately, not surprising. Rachel’s lawsuit describes, in significant detail, Mr. Kennedy’s long history of erratic, violent behavior and substance abuse."

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Vanderpump Rules cast member James Kennedy gets arrested on alleged domestic violence

According to Leviss' claim, James' abusive behavior was not just due to alcohol addiction. The lawsuit mentioned James would accuse Rachel of cheating on her, some of his actions were captured on camera while others were not. The lawsuit continued:

“Leviss made her first appearance on the show as the girlfriend of cast member James Kennedy, a DJ prone to violent outbursts and grappling with long-standing substance abuse issues and emotional dysregulation."

The Vanderpump Rules cast member had "warned Kennedy" that she would break up with him if he didn't "stop drinking." The lawsuit further stated Kennedy had talked to Rachel's parents in a misbehaving manner during the Thanksgiving dinner. He also kicked their dog, it mentioned:

"Leviss eventually warned Kennedy that she would leave him if he did not stop drinking. However, she soon learned that his despicable behavior was not solely a function of alcohol abuse. In 2021, Levis ended their relationship and broke off their engagement. Kennedy’s history of violent and dangerous behavior was well-known by Bravo, Evolution, and the cast."

Then, in 2021, Rachel and Kennedy parted ways due to his issues. The lawsuit stated that the crew, production team, and Bravo TV were well aware of Kennedy's behavior.

However, this hasn't been the first time Rachel has pointed out James' behavior. In a March 2020 episode of Vanderpump Rules, Rachel and James had a confrontation when James texted Rachel, saying he would break up with her if she didn't answer his call. Later in the episode, Rachel stated she was being "verbally abused" and told Kennedy they might break up due to his behavior, she said:

“No girl goes into a relationship thinking they’re going to be verbally abused. It’s scary to me. I don’t ever want to go through this again. I’m not going to blame myself for your actions ... And if you can’t get your s— together, then we will break up."

As of now Bravo TV or the Vanderpump Rules production team hasn't commented on James' arrest.