The statements made by Mark Allen Sanders, the fraternity pledge who accused Jon Hamm and six other men of torturing him in 1990 at the University of Texas, have recently resurfaced following the actor’s refusal to comment on the case.
Sanders accused the Mad Men star of beating him and setting his pants on fire, among other violent acts, as part of a Sigma Nu fraternity hazing ritual in November 1990.
Trigger warning: assault. As a result of the violent incident, Sanders sustained a fractured spine, nearly lost a kidney, and ultimately dropped out of the university.
Jon Hamm was asked about his involvement in the 1990 assault of college student Mark Sanders
Image credits: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Hamm, who previously described the incident as a “bummer,” declined to comment during an interview with The Daily Mail.
When the tabloid called the 54-year-old to ask about the allegations, he responded, “I think you should call my rep. Who are you? This is inappropriate. It’s a very odd choice for you to call me.
“They are claims that have been around for years. No, I don’t want to respond!
“I’m a little bit offended that you called my personal line; that’s why we have representatives.”
Hamm was a 20-year-old sophomore at the time of the incident.
He was reportedly arrested in 1993 on an assault charge related to the case, but the charge was dismissed after he completed a period of probation. He later transferred to the University of Missouri.
Sanders said the actor participated in the hazing “till the very end.”
“He hits me right over my right kidney,” he said in an interview with Travis County’s Attorney’s Office for the criminal case.
“I mean, square over it. Good, solid hit. And that stood me up. I’m hurting bad. I mean, being hit right where the kidney is, it’s k*lling me.”
Sanders accused the Mad Men actor and other fraternity members of setting his clothing on fire, beating him, and placing a hammer beneath his genitals before dragging him
Sanders claimed he was taken to a confined area known as “the pit,” where he was forced to do press-ups.
Hamm and another frat student then allegedly yanked his underwear and began moving it in a “sawing” motion to hurt him.
“I was hurting really bad, and I remember I was looking up at the ceiling, and I was gritting my teeth and squinting my eyes … it was sawing, and it was hurting.”
Sanders said Hamm took a lighter and began setting his belt loop on fire.
“My head is down. I mean, my chin is in the chest at this point. I see him light the lighter and put it on my pants.
“I was kind of panicking because I was wearing a cotton t-shirt. I actually tried to put it out with my hands, and Jon Hamm wouldn’t let me. He made me blow it out with my mouth.”
Finally, Sanders described being taken to an upstairs “party room,” where Hamm hooked the claw of a hammer underneath his testicles and led him around the room “for at least a minute.”
Hamm said he was “offended” to be asked about the case
According to the San Antonio Light, Hamm was one of seven people involved in the initiation ritual, which led to the disbanding of the UT chapter of the Sigma Nu fraternity after the lawsuit was filed. Three members of the fraternity were sentenced to jail.
Hamm was one of “the most serious offenders,” Travis County Attorney Ken Oden stated at the time.
Sanders said Hamm became angry when he was unable to recite a list of details he was supposed to memorize about the fraternity members, the Associated Press reported, citing court documents.
The charges first came to light when Star Magazine reported them in 2015. At the time, the final season of Mad Men was airing.
A source close to Hamm told the tabloid that the violent hazing was “an isolated incident in Jon’s life.”
The source added: “Since then, he’s been strong enough to take steps to make him a better person.”
However, the news of the incident arose again in 2018 when Esquire asked Hamm to comment on Sanders’ claims—a question he appeared unwilling to answer.
Assault charges were filed against the then-college student that were later dropped
According to journalist Maximillian Potter, the Town star’s tone became “tinged with anger” when the case was brought up, with the actor responding, “I hope I didn’t sign up for a hit piece.”
When Potter asked again, Hamm reportedly “bristled” before addressing the incident.
“I wouldn’t say it’s accurate,” Hamm began. “Everything about that is sensationalized. I was accused of these things I don’t… It’s so hard to get into it.
“I don’t want to give it any more breath. It was a bummer of a thing that happened. I was essentially acquitted.
“I wasn’t convicted of anything. I was caught up in a big situation, a stupid kid in a stupid situation, and it’s a f**king bummer. I moved on from it.
“I’m happy that I became a better person. Everyone goes through a weirdness as a young person, especially in college, when you’re trying to figure things out.”
As a result of the violent hazing, Sanders sustained a fractured spine and nearly lost a kidney
Following the scandal, Hamm starred in different projects, including Top Gun: Maverick, The Morning Show, and Fargo. He’s now receiving positive reviews for the Apple TV+ series Your Friends and Neighbors, his first lead role on television since Mad Men.
Amid his refusal to comment on the incident, the Golden Globe winner is being slammed on social media, with many people hearing about the case for the first time.
“This isn’t hazing. This is s*xual assault and torture. This isn’t just a frat party gone wrong. It’s a sadistic, ritualistic torture,” one person expressed. “This man should have done serious time.”
Someone else shared: “What? How has he been able to have such a long career?”
“Reading that made me nauseous. What is it with all these evil people masquerading as normal around us?” wrote a third. “That’s not even normal bullying behavior. So inhumane and vile.”
“Hamm should be in prison, not on television,” one reader commented
