How Diddy Is Using Props, Wardrobe and Family to Win His Freedom Revealed: 'His Defense Strategy Impressed Legal Analysts'

Everybody is watching as Sean "Diddy" Combs fighting for his freedom in a high-profile federal trial, and according to legal analysts, his strategy in the courtroom extends far beyond his attorneys' arguments.

Combs, 55, who has been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering, has denied any wrongdoing. However, his lawyers argue that, although he may have had personal problems, he is not guilty of the criminal charges now before him.

However, observers at the courthouse have noted certain aspects of the music mogul's attendance, from the attire he has chosen and the props he brought with him to his conduct and who he calls to his side during court.

According to the Daily Mail, "His defense strategy has impressed legal analysts."

Vision Strategy: Designer Capes to Grandpa Sweaters

Combs looks very different from the way he did when he was arrested. No more of the ornate designer suits and flowy capes that he wore to music events. In their stead are nondescript sweaters, collared shirts, and gray hair that appears to have never been dyed. His facial hair is also now white, a departure from the man seen on red carpets.

He is leaning into the so-called "nerd defense," legal experts say, a strategy that implies glasses and conservative dressing indicate defendants are more skittish and nonaggressive. Harvey Slovis, who represented Combs in his 1999 gun possession case, first used that term.

He's also been spotted holding personal development books, including Claude M. Bristol's The Magic of Believing, first published in 1948 to help soldiers returning from World War II who were traumatized. Previously, during the trial, he carried a Bible into the courtroom.

These props may be designed to reinforce a narrative of reflection and change, one courtroom analyst said, per the outlet.

Family Presence and Jury Behavior Draw Attention

Combs' behavior in court has also been characteristically eyebrow-raising. He often hugs his lawyers and converses with the audience. Occasionally, he has faced the jury box to nod or smile, a gesture that prompted a rebuke from Judge Arun Subramanian.

Following an incident in which the defendant was observed "nodding vigorously" as a witness testified, the judge ordered Combs not to make direct eye contact with the jurors.

He is also said to have smiled as an ex-girlfriend, now an accuser, testified to their romance from the witness stand.

During the trial, Combs has projected a public image of an attentive father. The oldest of his children has sat through opening statements, and his 85-year-old mother, Janice Combs, has been almost a daily presence at the trial, frequently being photographed in flashy ensembles outside the courthouse. His daughters, Jessie, D'Lila Star, and Chance, were also there during crucial early moments.

It is unclear whether Combs will testify.

If convicted, the rapper, who maintains his innocence, faces a maximum life sentence.

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Diddy, Diddy Trial, Sean Combs