CINCINNATI » Bengals cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones punched a woman in the head after she poured beer on his shoulder to stop him from using profanity toward her and her friends, a prosecutor said today at the start of the player’s trial on an assault charge.

Jones is charged with misdemeanor assault stemming from the dispute outside a downtown Cincinnati bar on June 5. Jones’ attorney told the judge who will decide the case that the player was defending himself and that the woman struck first.

Assistant City Prosecutor Christopher Ryan said 34-year-old Shannon Wesley poured the beer because she was not going to tolerate the insults being thrown at her and her friends by Jones.

"The blow caused her head to snap back," he said, adding that the blow knocked Wesley to the ground.

Ryan said Wesley suffered bruises, scrapes and a headache.

But Jones’ attorney, Ralph Kohnen, told the judge that Jones was the victim.

"The video says it all," Kohnen said. "She physically assaulted Mr. Jones."

Brooke Boling, a friend who was with Wesley that night, testified that Jones came up to the rail on the patio outside the bar and was insulting her and her friends and calling them foul names.

Boling said she did not know it was Jones at the time.

"I thought it was some person, drunk," she said.

She said Wesley poured the beer on Jones’ shoulder but did not touch him with the bottle.

"When she poured it she got hit and went down, and I ran inside," Boling said.

She described Jones as being angry and loud.

In addition to the legal outcome, Jones could face discipline from the National Football League under its conduct policy.

Jones has been in trouble previously, including pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct stemming from a 2011 case.