Man accused of Linda torture blames 'powers that be'

Tyrone Dyson, who claimed to be the victim of a conspiracy involving Hile Avenue apartment residents and law enforcement, denied torturing, beating and raping his ex-girlfriend during three methamphetamine-fueled days in April.

Dyson, 39, testified Thursday in his Yuba County Superior Court jury trial that a vast conspiracy of "the powers that be" was out to get him.

"I believe (the ex-girlfriend) has dealings with people in that complex that are involved with the police, and I believe it's all trumped up charges," Dyson said.

The trial entered its fourth day Thursday. Dyson has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of torture, rape and assault.

Dyson specifically excluded the Yuba County District Attorney's Office from his conspiracy theory, but said people at the complex in the 1800 block of Hile Avenue encouraged the woman to get him in trouble.

"I think they had her trump up charges against me," Dyson said.

Dyson admitted to sleeping with multiple women while being angry with his ex-girlfriend for her perceived infidelities.

"She's not my only girlfriend," Dyson testified Thursday. "It does seem like a double standard, but I'm not perfect."

Dyson also said he had sex with a woman in a parked car outside his Hile Avenue apartment while his girlfriend was at home around the same time that prosecutors have said he beat his lover with a BB-gun, a knife, a broomstick and a sex toy for being unfaithful.

Known primarily by his nickname, M.G., the 39-year-old Linda man accused the woman of fabricating the charges against him in retaliation for trying to end their relationship.

"She didn't want me to leave. That's what this all stems from," Dyson said.

The defendant said he was hurt by the allegations and said he believes the alleged victim is unstable.

She "is an actress. I care about her, but she's mentally ill," Dyson said.

He said the woman was free to leave their apartment at any time and claimed she had plenty of opportunities to do so.

Prosecutors showed several photographs depicting dark bruises on the woman's torso, arms, legs and head, but Dyson claimed she was beaten up a week earlier by another man in Santa Barbara.

Dyson acknowledged secretly recording his ex-girlfriend when he wasn't around. He said he secretly records all of his girlfriends, apparently to ensure they are not cheating on him.

Dyson played one of his recordings in court Thursday.

For more than five minutes, the jury, judge and both attorneys listened to vague, scratchy sounds that the victim and prosecutors have said is just somebody washing their dishes.

Dyson claimed to be able to hear a man's voice on the tape and also said he could hear someone snorting a line of methamphetamine.

While Dyson claimed the recording proved his girlfriend was unfaithful, even his own attorney agreed there was nothing on the recording worth entering into the official record.

Dyson adamantly denied harming the alleged victim.

"Because of a recording, I decide to rape somebody? That doesn't make sense," Dyson testified.

Testimony concluded Thursday and jury deliberations are set to get under way today.