NRA boss pleaded no contest over sadistic torture death of cat

The National Rifle Association's new boss was involved in the brutal torture and killing of a cat when he was a fraternity brother in college.

Douglas Hamlin, who was appointed NRA CEO this year, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty in the vile killing of his fraternity's cat, BK, in 1980.

Hamlin was an undergraduate at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor when he and four of his Alpha Delta Phi brothers were accused of capturing the cat, cutting its paws off, stringing it up and setting it on fire.

The students killed the cat because they were angry it was not using its litterbox, according to local news reports from the time uncovered by The Guardian. 

The animal's killing, which happened in December, 1979, sparked fury in the community at the time and all five students were expelled from the fraternity, including Hamlin who was the group's president at the time.

District court judge SJ Elden singled Hamlin out during the case, saying he could have stopped the 'unconscionable and heinous' killing as the president of the fraternity.

Judge Elden also suggested the fraternity tried to cover up the crime to protect its members.

One of the frat brothers involved in the killing told The Guardian the incident was 'regrettable' and 'not a good chapter for anybody.'

The fraternity's cook Earl Carl resigned following the killing, as reported by Michigan Daily, and filed a lawsuit claiming members of the group tried silencing him.

Carl said Hamlin initiated an attempted coverup.

The five men had their records expunged after they each completed 200 hours of animal-related community service.

Hamlin told DailyMail.com on Monday that he wasn't directly involved in the cat's killing.

'I do not in any way condone the actions that took place more than 44 years ago,' Hamlin said.

'I took responsibility for this regrettable incident as chapter president although I wasn’t directly involved. 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. 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, who served in the Marines after college, previously served as the NRA's executive director of its publications division.

He was elected as executive vice president and CEO in May after former NRAS boss Wayne LaPierre was found liable in February at a civil trial in New York of wrongly using millions of dollars of the organization’s money to pay for an extravagant lifestyle.