BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Protesters gathered Tuesday where they say the end began for India Cummings: the Erie County Holding Center. Cummings was just 27 years old when she died on Feb. 21 2016, shortly after spending more than two weeks in custody.
One year later, protesters are still left with questions and frustration.
"What we get in cases where they don't look too good, we get stonewalling. We get no response at all,” said Heron Simmonds, chair of the WNY Peace Center’s Racial Justice Task Force.
Matthew Albert, the lawyer for Cummings' family, said a report from the Erie County Medical Examiner's Office showed the pathologist couldn't determine a cause of death.
"We doubt his objectivity based upon his past history, based upon his findings, which seem to belie the evidence that we presented to him," said Albert.
Albert said independent experts determined blood clots formed in the broken arm she came into the Holding Center with, which stopped the blood flow to her brain, causing her to go into cardiac arrest and a pulmonary embolism, causing her system to shut down completely.
Organizers say they think change will start with the people in charge, and that's why they've set their sights on Election Day; in particular, their focus is keeping Sheriff Tim Howard from staying in office.
"Our next steps are to make sure people understand what he's doing and that he does not deserve re-election. In fact, it's audacious for him to have the nerve to run for election again," said Simmonds.
"We do want the truth to come out, we just don't expect that to come, necessarily, from Erie County, the sheriff's department, or the medical examiner's office," said Albert.
Albert said a lawsuit is likely on the way from Cummings family in the near future.
A spokesman for the Sheriff's Office did not immediately return requests for comment. Officials previously said Cummings received treatment for injuries and was seen by medical and mental health professionals multiple times while she was at the Hholding Center. They said at one point, she removed a medical device given to her by hospital staff and injured a deputy.