Douglas Hamlin, the NRA’s newly appointed leader and former fraternity president, is facing intense scrutiny after revelations about his involvement in the 1979 torture and killing of a fraternity cat. Hamlin, now at the helm of the gun rights group following a series of high-profile scandals, pleaded no contest to animal cruelty charges decades ago over his role in the brutal incident.
At the University of Michigan, where Hamlin served as Alpha Delta Phi fraternity president, local reports documented the disturbing fate of a house cat named BK. The details are chilling: the cat was reportedly mutilated, strung up, and set on fire in an act described by the judge as “heinous.” Hamlin, as fraternity president, was admonished for failing to prevent or condemn the crime. The judge suggested a cover-up attempt within the fraternity, which was later expelled from campus due to the incident. Hamlin and four fraternity brothers were ordered to complete 200 hours of animal-related community service, and charges were expunged after sentencing.
“Heartlessness must be in the job description to run the NRA,” said Nick Suplina, a senior executive with Everytown for Gun Safety, in response to Hamlin’s appointment. His sentiment is echoed by animal rights activist Shelagh Abbs Winter, who reported the incident back in 1979 and was stunned to hear of Hamlin’s position today. Now a member of Moms Demand Action, Winter noted, “Once a creep, always a creep.”
Hamlin and the NRA have yet to comment on the incident, which now resurfaces amid the organization’s already strained credibility following years of financial misconduct allegations under former chief Wayne LaPierre. Winter and other advocates argue that Hamlin’s dark history reflects a troubling pattern in the NRA’s leadership choices, where “integrity and accountability take a backseat.”
