Jury selection is to begin today in the trial of Dr. Priscilla Slade, the former president of Texas Southern accused of misusing university funds.
HOUSTON
Priscilla Slade, the former president of financially troubled Texas Southern University, had expensive tastes.
With an affinity for clothing and shoes from Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and St. John, Slade would sometimes spend up to $4,600 at a time at Neiman Marcus, according to court records. At TSU parties, she served Johnny Walker Blue Label, a luxury whiskey that can cost $200 or more a bottle.
She lavishly furnished her $1.2 million home with a sofa worth more than $17,800, a nearly $9,200 bed and a $5,600 coffee table.
But she may have paid for all this with money from the historically Black university that has her facing a possible life sentence when she goes on trial next week.
Slade, an accounting professor and former dean of the business school, was indicted last year on two counts of misapplication of fiduciary property with a value over $200,000. Prosecutors say they plan to try her for only one of the counts.
Jury selection in her case was to begin on Monday. Among the witnesses is U.S. Housing secretary Alphonso Jackson, who was on the TSU Board of Regents when Slade was hired as president.
