Jury Selection Begins In Trial Of Ex-TSU President

HOUSTON, TX.(AP) – Jury selection is under way in Houston for the trial of former Texas Southern University president Priscilla Slade.

She’s accused of misspending more than half a million dollars of school money to lavishly furnish and decorate her homes. A pool of 120 people began filling out questionnaires in the case today. The questioning of potential jurors isn’t expected to start until tomorrow and could take several days.

Testimony could last a month or longer. Among the witnesses is U.S. Housing secretary Alphonso Jackson, who was on the TSU Board of Regents when Slade was hired as president in 1999. Slade is facing a sentence of up to life in prison if convicted of misapplication of fiduciary property with a value over $200,000.

Prosecutors say that over seven years as president, Slade misspent TSU funds to decorate, remodel and repair the homes she had during her tenure at the university. Her attorney, Mike DeGeurin, has said his client did nothing wrong and there was historical precedent at TSU for the purchases she made.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)