BUFFALO, NY - A hearing Wednesday centered around the death of an inmate in Erie County two years ago, grew into frustration for people seeking answers.
Specific questions about India Cummings care in the county's holding center were shutdown, because of an ongoing lawsuit.
Since Cummings death, protestors have demanded answers about her care in the Erie County Holding Center. Many believe if she had received better care, Cummings would still be alive. A hearing to address Cummings treatment quickly grew into frustration for legislators and members of the public, when specific questions to the Sheriff's Office, and health and mental health commissioners, were shutdown by the county law department.
Over two years ago, Cummings was arrested by Lackawanna Police after leading them in a car chase. A state report says the care Cummings received in jail was "grossly incompetent and inadequate," lacking proper examination and documentation.
The report also states her death should be ruled a homicide.
After spending 17 days in the jail, Cummings suffered kidney failure which led to her going into cardiac arrest. She died at Buffalo General at the age of 27.
We wanted to ask Sheriff Howard our own questions, but he left the hearing shortly after it started.
Instead, we briefly spoke to Scott Zylka, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office.
"What do you say to people who are leaving here, who don't feel like they have the answers that they want?" 2 On Your Side asked.
"I have no opinion about how they feel or anything else," Zylka said.
When we asked why Sheriff Howard left, Zylka replied it was "a personal matter and we're not going to comment on that."
A sheriff's deputy told us off camera that Howard had a funeral to attend.
We asked if the Sheriff would be invited back to committee at a future date, as well as anyone ECMC or the medical examiner's office.
"They will certainly have an invitation and I will certainly implore them to come," said Erie County Legislator April Baskin.
Any hearing would happen after the legislature returns from recess in September.
ECMC says that if the hospital is invited, ECMC would decline because of the pending lawsuit and HIPPA restrictions.
DA John Flynn says he's been in talks with the Attorney General's Office about possibly appointing a special prosecutor to investigate India Cummings death. The DA says he expects a decision to be made this week.