Phillip said he allegedly heard Combs shouting and slapping Ventura, and that she was visibly shaken after the incident.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted on all counts, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and could face life in prison.

Prosecutors allege women forced to participate in ‘freak offs’

Israel Florez, a former security guard and the prosecution’s first witness, testified that Ventura looked “scared” during the incident and that Combs offered him a stack of cash to keep quiet. He declined the offer.

‘Most painful experiences of their lives’

Johnson described Combs as a violent offender who had set a man’s car ablaze and dangled a woman from a balcony, as well as making impossible demands of his lovers.

Assistant US attorney Emily Johnson, right, gestures to Sean “Diddy” Combs, far left, while giving her opening statement on the first day of trial at Manhattan federal court. Source: AP / Elizabeth Williams

“Let me be clear … this case is not about a celebrity’s private sexual preferences,” Johnson said. “It’s coercive and criminal” in nature, she said as Combs watched intently.

The 12 jurors and six alternates will remain anonymous but not sequestered.

Defence suggests money as a motivator

“Sean Combs is a complicated man, but this is not a complicated case. This case is about voluntary choices made by capable adults in consensual relationships,” Geragos said.

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ family and supporters, including his mother Janice Combs (left), attended the first day of the trial. Source: AP / Seth Wenig

“Ask yourself why are they making this allegation now? What is their motive? For many of them, the answer is simple: money,” Geragos said.