It happened in 47 seconds.

That was how quickly a San Jose police officer confronted a San Jose couple in response to a summons from a downtown bar owner — and then, in a frantic series of events that remain in fierce dispute — wound up shocking Cindy Zuniga with a Taser and shooting her husband, Marcos, in the face, disfiguring him for life.

In the aftermath, the general contractor and the stay-at-home mom, who had just finished her book club meeting that night, face resisting-arrest charges in a politically charged case that reaches trial starting this week at the Hall of Justice. Marcos Zuniga also faces two other misdemeanor counts in connection with the Jan. 18, 2009, incident — battery and being under the influence of cocaine.

The officer, Joseph Paolini, a nine-year veteran in his mid-30s, was initially put on administrative leave but has since been assigned as a detective in the burglary unit, a lateral move. He is expected to testify.

The trial comes as San Jose police are reeling from intense scrutiny over what some say is an overly aggressive street policing style that research shows has led to racially disproportionate arrests and excessive force.

Last year, the Mercury News found San Jose charges far more people with resisting arrest, compared with its population, than any other major California city, and that a disproportionate number of those charged are Latino residents. A newspaper review of resisting-arrest court cases from 2008 also showed that force was used in more than two-thirds of those cases, often developing from minor encounters such as jaywalking and bicycle and traffic infractions.

The question the jury will be asked to weigh in this case is how far is too far when it comes to use of force. Both sides are expected to call in use-of-force experts as well as eyewitnesses, including the bar owner, bouncers and members of the Zunigas’ party. Prosecutor Stephen Poolos declined to comment.

The incident began on a Saturday night, when the couple and several of their married friends gathered at the upscale Loft Bar and Bistro for drinks after the wives held their monthly book club meeting.

All parties agree the group left after bouncers said Marcos Zuniga’s nephew and another man began arguing on the dance floor.

What happened outside the bar is in dispute. The prosecution is expected to contend Zuniga was belligerent, threatening the security guards for ejecting the group, according to court documents. The couple’s attorney, Eric Geffon, denies it, saying there was an angry discussion prompted by a racist comment about his Mexican heritage uttered by a bar employee.

In any case, no one disputes that the owner of the bar eventually signaled Paolini with a flashlight as the officer was driving by in his patrol car and he immediately pulled over and got out.

After the bar owner pointed out Zuniga, who was walking away, the officer ordered him and the other couples to stop, and the violence quickly began.

The prosecution contends that Cindy Zuniga splashed the officer with water or threw something in his direction after he told her husband to face the wall, prompting Paolini to stun her with his Taser. Marcos Zuniga then lunged at Paolini, causing him to fear for his life and use potentially lethal force to defend himself.

But Geffon said Cindy Zuniga didn’t throw anything at Paolini. When the officer shocked her with his stun gun, and she fell to the ground writhing in agony, her husband “lawfully resisted” the use of “unreasonable force” by trying to grab the Taser, Geffon said.

Contact Tracey Kaplan at 408-278-3482.