Man claims good looks as defense in rape case

A re-trial began Wednesday of a Cobb County man accused of kidnapping and carjacking a woman at a CVS before raping her.

The first defense team for Darrious Mathis said their client’s good looks partly explain why it was a consensual encounter.

A Cobb County judge declared a mistrial back in September after nearly four days of deliberations.

On Wednesday, the victim shared her story with a jury for the second time, reliving the night 2 1/2 years ago when her quick-post midnight stop at a CVS turned into a kidnapping ordeal.

"He had told me to get in the car and I actually begged him to take my car. I had pushed my wallet that was in my hand and my keys toward him and I was like 'Please take my car. You can take my cards and everything," she said.

The 24-year-old said she was abducted at gunpoint from an Austell CVS, driven into Atlanta, where he sexually assaulted her.

The victim said she tried to keep Mathis calm along the way.

"In my mind I figured that was the best way, instead of panicking and trying to get hurt," the woman said.

Mathis, however, has a different version of what happened on that night.

He said he was in the parking lot selling pain pills, and that the victim was a willing buyer, who agreed to ride along. Mathis' attorneys also said he never held a gun.

"He walked up to her with a bottle of Vicodin and said, 'Wanna buy some pills? She said, "Sure," get in. We'll go to the ATM," said defense attorney Carter Clayton.

Mathis is expected to take the stand later this week.

He's facing kidnapping, carjacking, assault and weapons charges.