The National Rifle Association’s new boss, Doug Hamlin, was once involved in the “heinous” torture and killing of his fraternity house cat — in which its paws were cut off before it was strung up and set on fire, according to a disturbing report.
Hamlin, who was appointed CEO of the NRA earlier this year, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty over the sadistic killing when he was an undergraduate at the University of Michigan in December 1979, The Guardian reported Monday, citing details of the decades-old case.
The vile slaying unfolded when Hamlin and four of his fellow Alpha Delta Phi members apparently became upset that their fraternity house cat, BK, wouldn’t use a litterbox, according to local reports at the time.
As punishment, they captured the cat, chopped off its paws, strung the feline up and then set it ablaze.
He and his frat brothers were all slapped with animal cruelty charges over the saga.
It wasn’t clear exactly what role Hamlin played in the cat’s demise.
However, a Michigan judge singled him out in court, saying that as the fraternity’s president, he could have prevented the “unconscionable and heinous” violence.
The charges against all five frat brothers ended up being expunged from their records after they each completed 200 hours of animal-related community service.
They were all also booted from the fraternity.
Hamlin told The Post on Tuesday that he had moved on from the “regrettable incident.”
“I do not in any way condone the actions that took place more than 44 years ago. I took responsibility for this regrettable incident as chapter president although I wasn’t directly involved,” Hamlin said in a statement to The Post.
“Since that time I served my country, raised a family, volunteered in my community, started a business, worked with Gold Star families, and raised millions of dollars for charity.”
He added: “I’ve endeavored to live my life in a manner beyond reproach. My focus now is on protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”
Hamlin, a retired Marine, was elected as the NRA’s new CEO in July.
He replaced the group’s longtime head, Wayne LaPierre, after a New York jury found him guilty of misspending millions in NRA funds for his own benefit.