(NewsNation) — Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared in court with gray hair and a beard, a stark contrast to his vibrant, youthful persona before his 2024 arrest.
Combs, 55, has been held without bail since September 2024 after two of his homes were raided by federal investigators seven months prior.
The stress of an indictment, being held in jail and going through a federal trial has certainly worn Combs down, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told NewsNation.
“These are people who are really in prison for the first time in their entire life. They live a lavish, extravagant lifestyle, and prison can be very different for them … It ages them, and it ages them quickly,” Rahmani said. “It can affect your physical and mental health.”
From the perspective of a defense attorney, the look can also contain an element of strategy.
Diddy’s new, gray look in the courtroom
When it comes to juries, appearance matters, Rahmani said.
He said attorneys want to ensure defendants appear a certain way, from the first mugshot to how they dress in court.
“Combs is not going to be in court wearing his normal bling,” Rahmani said. “You want to appeal to those jurors. You’re not going to come in wearing a Versace or Tom Ford suit. It’s going to be very different because this all matters. It really, really does.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs, right, stands and looks at jurors as they file into the jury box at the start of jury selection at Manhattan federal court on May 5 in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP) 
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, far left, looks on from the defense table with his attorneys, as a prospective juror, far right, answers questions posed by Judge Arun Subramanian, center, at Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP) 
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, right, turns around and looks at the audience during jury selection at Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP) 
Sean Diddy Combs sits at the defense table before the start of jury selection at Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP) 
In this courtroom sketch, Assistant United States Attorney Christy Slavic, standing center, speaks during a hearing for Sean “Diddy” Combs, left, as Judge Arun Subramanian, right, presides in federal Court on Nov. 22, 2024, in New York. Attorney Tony Riccio is shown standing background center. (Jane Rosenberg via AP)
Combs does not have access to hair dye or other cosmetic products while inside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he’s been held.
Courtroom sketches depict Combs with gray hair and a small, gray beard.
Last week, Combs was dressed in a navy sweater with a white collared shirt and black pants that appeared to be too big for him. Because he’s not allowed a belt or tie, he often had to pull up his pants when he stood.
On Monday, he entered the courtroom smiling at his family, and read the Bible as he waited for the judge to enter the courtroom.
Aside from clothing, a defendant’s age or health concerns can also create sympathy with the jury.
Research has shown that jurors are likely to be more lenient in assigning liability and punishment when a defendant is or appears to be 50 or older and if they appear to have a disability.
Aside from Diddy, several other high-profile defendants have appeared in court looking much different than before their arrest.
Harvey Weinstein arrives in court with a walker
When film producer Harvey Weinstein went to trial in 2020 on rape and sexual assault charges, he showed up to the courtroom hunched over and using a walker.
This frail and weak appearance starkly contrasted his prior image as a Hollywood heavy hitter, and many saw it as a bid for sympathy.
Actress Rose McGowan, one of his accusers, said, “I think he’s taken some good acting tips” and that the appearance was a way to get sympathy, The Sun reported.
Weinstein and his lawyers maintained the walker was due to a medical condition from back surgery.
“I’ll have a race with you,” Weinstein sarcastically responded to reporters who questioned his walker, Variety reported.
His lawyer also fired back, saying the “press surrounding his physical condition is mean-spirited and false,” the outlet reported.
Weinstein was eventually convicted of rape and sexual assault and sentenced in New York and California. His conviction was later overturned by the appeals court, but a new trial is planned.
Bill Cosby appears disoriented in 2016 sexual assault trial
Actor Bill Cosby appeared in court looking disoriented, at one point stumbling while he walked, during his 2016 sexual assault trial in Pennsylvania.
Days before the trial began, his defense team revealed he was partially blind.
Though he was nearly 80 at the time, some suggested his defense team may have played up his age and limitations for the jury.
His lawyers argued Cosby’s age and blindness were mitigating factors, implying he posed less of a risk to society. His age and condition were also presented as arguments in his favor during the trial and sentencing.
Cosby was convicted of aggravated indecent assault in 2018. His conviction was later overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2021.
Lindsay Lohan‘s fashion changed from trial to trial
Actress Lindsay Lohan was convicted on several charges during the mid-2000s, including drunk driving, theft and reckless driving.
During her initial court hearings, she wore trendy designer clothing, including a leather mini dress and, most famously, a fitted white dress that some interpreted as provocative and defiant.
As her legal battles continued, Lohan opted for more conservative attire, donning neutral blazers and long scarves.
Anna Sorokin’s stylist coordinated courtroom appearance
The fake heiress convicted of larceny and theft had a stylist coordinating her courtroom looks during her 2019 trial.
Sorokin wore neutral-colored outfits, baby-doll dresses and thick-rimmed glasses. Her legal team felt that an appearance in a prison jumpsuit would make her look guilty.
Sorokin’s lawyer said her clothes were taken on loan and provided by a secret benefactor, according to the New York Times.
At one point during her trial, Sorokin reportedly became upset with her court outfit and refused to appear.
The judge admonished the tantrum, saying, “This is a trial. She is a defendant in a criminal case. I am sorry if her clothing is not up to her standards, but she’s got to be here,” according to the New York Post.
NewsNation’s Gentrix Shanga contributed to this report.