HOUSTON -- The jury in the trial of former Texas Southern University President Priscilla Slade heard from an employee asked to oversee the landscaping at her home, KPRC Local 2 reported Friday.

Slade, 55, is on trial for one of two counts of misapplication of fiduciary property with a value over $200,000. If convicted, she could face up to life in prison.

There was a 40-minute delay in the trial Friday morning while attorneys argued over evidence.

Prosecutors alleged that when Slade became president in 1999, she began spending money on her home, including $48,864 for furniture and nearly $22,000 for flooring. In all she spent more than $143,000 on her home in the Houston suburb of Missouri City.

Slade moved into a custom-built,$1.2 million, 6,000-square-foot, Mediterranean-style house in 2005. She spent more than $86,000 on furniture, more than $138,000 on landscaping and more than $61,800 on a high-tech security system. Prosecutors said Slade also had TSU employees work on the construction and design of her new home.

The university's executive director of facilities and construction told the jury that he was asked to oversee the landscaping at Slade's private residence. The project cost $176,000.

Ron Butler said Slade told him to meet with former TSU chief financial officer Quintin Wiggins to handle paying the bills.

The university's Board of Regents started asking questions. Butler said Wiggins asked him if he could tell the board he did not know anything about the project. Butler said he felt like he was being set up to take the fall.

Slade's attorney, Mike DeGeurin, said the improvements, including a new roof, carpeting and landscaping, were done because Slade often hosted TSU fundraising parties.

When Slade was hired as TSU's 10th president, the school was under fire for poor accounting practices and falling enrollment, and it faced a possible merger with another state school.

The spending scandal cost Slade her job in April 2006. She and three other TSU workers were indicted. Wiggins was sentenced to 10 years in prison in May.