Demetris Burke – Speaker

Demetris Burke was born in New York, New York but was raised by his mother and grandmother in Bertie County. Labeled by the justice system as a habitual felon by the age of 20, he was convicted of possession of crack cocaine with the intent to sell and deliver and received probation. Mr. Burke continued to participate in the drug gang and was eventually arrested for trafficking crack cocaine. And was sentenced to four years in the NC Department of Corrections.

After being released, in less than four years he was back in the system and served one year for drug possession. The last straw was in 2002 when he was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon, and the possession of crack cocaine with the intent to sell and deliver. Because of this, he served six and a half years in prison.

Demetris says: “I was a  young man living a lie; operating under a conditioned behavior fueled by false  images”. His love for fast money and pretty women landed him in prison three times  …today, he is a changed man. He has been reunited with his five kids and one  grandson. He recently married Robin Cousins…God’s way of proving that he has  plans for his life. Demetris no longer looks for the fast life but a life outside of  incarceration. He is no longer a member of the “hustle by any means necessary”  crowd. He is writing about a life incarcerated and is establishing an online presence to write his story.