Will Cleveland

@WillCleveland13

Protesters marched down the middle of East Main Street during rush hour Thursday, bringing traffic to a standstill.

About 50 people gathered to remember the life of India Cummings, 27, a Rochester woman who died under unknown circumstances in February after being housed at Erie County Holding Center in Buffalo. They say that they have been consistently stonewalled by authorities in Erie County, awaiting a long-delayed autopsy report.

The gathering started around 4 p.m. as community organizers, including members of Cummings' family and representatives of the Black Panther Party and BLACK (Building Leadership and Community Knowledge), listened to spoken word recitations and received an update from attorney Matthew A. Albert, who is representing the family of Cummings.

After holding hands in song and and releasing green balloons in memory of Cummings, the protesters marched west down East Main Street and then took a right down St. Paul Street toward the RTS Transit Center.

Cummings, who attended Wilson Magnet High School, lived in Lackawanna, Erie County, for about three months before her death. Friends say she was struggling with mental health issues prior to her death and that she sought to return home to Rochester.

The Buffalo News reports that at Cummings' arraignment in Erie County Court on Feb. 9, she didn't recognize her own mother. Cummings died at Buffalo General Medical Center after being released from the jail's custody. She was arrested on Feb. 1 following a carjacking in Lackawanna.

The circumstances surrounding her death are still being investigated. Albert said Cummings "went from physically healthy to dead in three weeks" while in the custody of Erie County. She suffered from "severe dehydration" and other issues, Albert said.

The New York State Commission of Correction is investigating.

"Ultimately, what we want is accountability," Albert said. "The silence is intolerable. She was literally put in a cell, forgotten about for 16 days, deprived of necessary food and sustenance, until eventually she diminished into nothing. For that to happen in 2016, when it's their job to take care of her when she's in their custody is deplorable."

Tonya Noel, who graduated with Cummings and is a lead organizer for BLACK, said, "We want to draw attention to what happened. Sadly, these things happen everywhere. Agitate, organize, educate. It's to get people together to begin the education and organization that's necessary."

Calls to both the Erie County Sheriff's Office and Erie County District Attorney's Office were not returned.

Rochester police followed protesters during the entire procession. Amid more traffic delays, the protesters stopped at the Transit Center. The Rochester Police Department Rapid Response Team displayed batons and tried to defuse the crowd. Police cars closed down traffic on St. Paul Street.

According to Rochester Police Capt. Michael Callari, no one was arrested and no one was injured. Protesters blocked traffic in both directions on Main Street for about 10 minutes, Callari said. They blocked bus traffic in and out of the Transit Center. "This interrupted bus service throughout the city," Callari said. After about 20 minutes, protesters complied with requests to move out of the street.

Callari said the response team is available to "help ensure public safety and order to the area. The teams are available to assist patrol personnel in dispersing, and if necessary, arresting people who cause a public safety concern."

The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department sued Erie County in 2009 over suicide and mental health care at Erie County Holding Center and the Erie County Correctional Facility. That lawsuit was settled.

Jamie Solomon, a member of BLACK and a classmate of Cummings at Wilson Magnet, said the decision to march was spontaneous. The heavy rain had let up and protesters wanted to bring more attention to the cause.

“We haven’t been getting answers or specific details about how she died,” Solomon said. “This is about raising awareness, getting some community support, and helping bring closure to India’s family. There is a lack of coverage of the case and a lack of facts being put out. We want the public to get the real truth.”

WCLEVELAND@Gannett.com