Something shifted in Fresno this week.
Not quietly.
Not behind closed doors.
But out in the open. On the streets, in the park, in front of the very systems that have long refused to acknowledge us.
For the first time, Medical Crime Victims were not standing outside the conversation…
They were standing inside it.
They were told, “I believe you.”
They were told, “You belong here.”
Initially they were questioned about what they were doing there by event organizers. Heidi Bond explained to the organizers three key things providing REAL Story examples:
“Our loved ones were killed in local hospitals…”
“We represent medical crime victims.”
“We are the largest population of crime victims in the country.”
Organizers chose to be true to the theme of this years National Crime Victim Week: Listen. Act. Advocate.
Their response was an astonishing, “Welcome, it sounds like you all belong here.”
“We went there expecting resistance… but instead, we were told something we have never heard before; ‘You belong here.’ And from that moment on, everything changed.” - Heidi Bond
For years, even decades, families whose loved ones were harmed or killed by hospital protocols, shots, hospice protocols or within other institutional care facilities have been told some version of the same thing:
“That didn’t happen.”
“That’s not a crime.”
“Move on or Get over it.”
But in Fresno County, during the Honor Walk for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, something undeniable happened:
👉 Medical Crime Victims showed up
👉 Their stories were visible
👉 Their loved ones’ faces were seen
👉 And critically…
👉 Law enforcement stood alongside them
This is not a small moment. Hundreds were present. People listened and shared their own stories. Reporters asked questions and took photos. An investigator took down details. And they all marched together!
This is what recognition looks like in real time.
At Betrayal Project USA, we have been clear from the beginning:
Justice does not begin in a courtroom.
Justice begins with recognition.
That is exactly why we made the strategic decision to participate in National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
Because every major victim movement in this country, whether people agree with them or not, gained traction the same way:
👉 First, they were recognized
👉 Then, they were given a voice
👉 Then, they gained a seat at the table
👉 And only then… did justice happen and policy begin to change
Fresno was proof of concept.
We belong here.
And now… others are beginning to see it too.
Perhaps the most significant moment of all:
Fresno County Sheriffs stood with our families
Not dismissing us.
Not ignoring us.
Not walking past us.
Standing with us. Holding our signs. Listening to victims families.
That visual alone represents a shift that cannot be undone.
Because recognition is not just about words.
It’s about who is willing to stand next to you.
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This moment didn’t happen by accident. It happened because a group of determined, fearless women refused to stay silent.
A special acknowledgment goes to:
Heidi Bond - BPUSA Board Member and Chairperson, Outreach & Partnership Committee. Heidi became active in fighting for justice on behalf of Medical Crime Victims across the nation when her best friend Lupe Espinoza was killed in Clovis Community Hospital in Sept of 2021.
Heidi led this effort on the ground in Fresno: organizing, coordinating, and ensuring that Medical Crime Victims had a presence where they had never been included before. Alongside her were women who showed up with courage, conviction, and love for their families. All willing to stand up in public and say what others are still afraid to say.
Belinda York - Mother of Jason York - Belinda’s son Jason was also killed in Clovis Community Hospital in Sept of 2021 at the same time Lupe Espinoza was there. Her story is one of the most powerful and undeniable examples of Medical Crimes which helped: Spark conversations and force people to reconsider what they believed and what qualifies as a “crime victim”.
Michelle Spencer - Nurse Whistleblower and daughter of Medical Crime Victim Christine Johnson. Michelle is the whistle blower nurse who exposed a hospital cover up regarding the drastic rise in baby demises related to pregnant women who took the covid shot. She is currently suing the hospital over retaliation. Michelle was thrust into this fight for justice when her own mother was killed at St Agnes hospital in November of 2021. During the event she stood publicly representing her mother and others like her helping bring real, personal evidence of harm into a space that had not acknowledged it before.
Polly Combs - A supporter and advocate who helps bring forward the science and truth, often standing with the group outside hospitals. Polly represents a growing movement to support Medical Crime Victims and advocate for accountability, awareness and change.
This is what advocacy and fighting for justice looks like.
Not just words but action.
Our participation is not symbolic. It is strategic.
This week in Fresno, Medical Crime Victims experienced:
Inclusion instead of exclusion
Validation instead of dismissal
Recognition instead of denial
And most importantly: They were no longer standing outside the definition of a crime victim but instead were validated.
As outlined in our national initiative, BPUSA and the BPUSA Advocacy Network are working to:
Document and preserve firsthand accounts of harm
Elevate the voices of victims and survivors
Build a record that cannot be ignored
Drive accountability and systemic reform
National Recognition of Medical Crime Victims and Medical Crimes
Because when thousands of voices come forward together…
👉 It is no longer anecdotal
👉 It becomes a pattern
👉 And patterns demand investigation
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What Comes Next: From Recognition to Action
Fresno is not the finish line. It’s the beginning.
Now we build on this momentum and we need YOU to be part of it.
REPORT A MEDICAL CRIME
One of the biggest barriers to accountability is simple:
Cases are not being reported at scale.
We are changing that.
We are calling for 10,000 reports—not because every case will be prosecuted immediately, but because:
👉 Volume establishes pattern
👉 Pattern demands attention
👉 Attention forces investigation
Learn how from Monday’s Livestream: Reporting Medical Crime: Your Rights, Your Voice, Your Action with Leslie Batts (Medical Crime Victim Widow) - Documents and form letters can be found under resources on our website.
ADD YOUR LOVED ONE TO THE MEMORIAL WALL
Honor them.
Make them visible.
Ensure they are not erased.
Your submission also ensures their name is included in national recognition efforts and our closing tribute taking place on Sunday April 26th at 5:30pm CST.
Tribute will be livestreamed on multiple channels. Follow and watch for us to go live on the following:
BPUSA X/Twitter: https://x.com/Betrayal_Proj
Intentional with Mic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intentionalmicmeow
Intentional with Mic Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/Intentional/livestreams?e9s=src_v1_clr
SIGN THE PROCLAMATION
We are calling for official recognition of Medical Crime Victims as a legitimate crime victim category.
Because once that happens:
The narrative changes
Crimes are acknowledged
The media shifts
Justice and policy changes become possible
Justice Begins with Recognition.
And recognition is happening.
Sign the Medical Crime Victims Proclamation on our Website’s Take Action Page.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
If Fresno showed us anything, it’s this:
We don’t need permission to be seen. But we do need people willing to stand up.
If you want to help:
Volunteer
Share stories
Tell your story
Support outreach efforts and share our social media
Be part of the advocacy network - Let us Partner with your organization
Visit: betrayalprojectusa.org
The Turning Point
What happened in Fresno was more than an event.
It was a signal.
A signal that the wall is starting to crack.
A signal that people are beginning to listen.
A signal that recognition is no longer theoretical…
It’s happening.
And once recognition takes hold and spreads;
The stories can no longer be ignored
The patterns can no longer be dismissed
The truth can no longer be silenced
And accountability becomes possible
We Belong Here
To every family who has been told:
“That wasn’t a crime.”
Fresno says otherwise.
To every voice that has been silenced:
Fresno got louder.
To every loved one whose name deserves to be remembered:
We will say it.
We will carry it.
We will not stop.
Justice begins with recognition.
And now…
We are being recognized.
Betrayal Project USA is a Texas Charitable Nonprofit
509(a)(2) Public Charity under IRC Section 501(c)(3)
Human Rights Advocacy Organization
NAICS: 813311
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