Heated exchange in Priscilla Slade trial

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

(10/01/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- Defense attorneys have tried and failed again to get a mistrial declared in the trial of former TSU President Priscilla Slade. But that's not all that happened in court Monday. There were some intense moments.

Prosecutors accused Slade of misusing more than $500,000 of Texas Southern University's money. One of the defense witnesses considers the amount of money in question 'peanuts.' Justice of the Peace Zinetta Burney was one of our defense witnesses to testify Monday in Slade trial.

Under cross-examination, a Harris County prosecutor challenged Judge Burney on Slade's record. Donna Goode asked Burney to consider her own experiences as a University of Houston regent.

Goode said in court Monday, "Is it fair to say you would want to know if the president under you had spent over $500,000 on personal items without your knowledge?

Burney responded, "Peanuts compared to what the universities spend on promoting themselves."

Goode asked, "So are you calling the misapplication 'peanuts?'"

Burney shot back, "I'm telling you a misapplication is not a misapplication just because you say it is."

Defense witnesses also provided jurors a better idea of spa parties Slade threw for professional women at her Missouri City home. Judge Burney and Sylvia Brooks, the president of the Houston-area Urban League, both told jurors they had attended on at least one occasion.

Brooks testified that she thought the spa day party was to promote the university. She told jurors she considered it a creative and fun way to fund-raise. Judge Brock Thomas had denied the motion of mistrial on Friday, but he took the issue up again Monday morning at the request of Slade's attorney. Slade, the former president of Texas Southern University, is on trial for one of two counts of misapplication of jiduciary property with a value over $200,000.

Slade arrived at the courthouse around 9am this morning, with the hopes that a mistrial might be declared, based on her attorney's belief that jurors may have heard, watched or read a report about a plea deal that was once on the table.

Judge Thomas talked to each juror individually in his chamber and asked them if they've seen any reports or been part of any conversation involving this trial. He concluded that that there's no proof that anyone has heard or talked about the trial, so for the second time, he denied the request.

Testimony is expected to last throughout the afternoon. Slade was indicted last year. If convicted, she faces up to life in prison.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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