Spitzer Seeks Compromise On Rape Cases

A Democratic candidate for governor, Eliot Spitzer, found himself caught between a long-time supporter and his principle foe in the gubernatorial race as he tried to find a middle ground on a key issue in Albany: ending the statute of limitations in rape cases.

Mr. Spitzer's opponent in the Democratic primary, Tom Suozzi, is pushing to end immediately the time limit for rape prosecutions. But the Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, a close ally of Mr. Spitzer, has tied ending the five-year time limit for filing criminal charges to ending the 10-year time limit for filing civil lawsuits.

"Once again, Eliot Spitzer is missing in Albany, standing silent on the sidelines while his strongest political supporter, Shelly Silver, is gumming up the works, double-crossing women around our state, and disrespecting our democracy," Mr. Suozzi said.

Mr. Spitzer said he favors ending the statute of limitations in criminal cases and extending the time limit in civil lawsuits. He sided against Mr. Silver by calling for lawmakers to deal with criminal and civil matters separately.

"Here is the important thing, the two should not be held hostage, one to the other," Mr. Spitzer told reporters in Queens yesterday. "We should pass them, we should do it all this year and let's get on with it."

The Assembly ties together ending the criminal and civil time limits, while a bill that passed the Republican-controlled state Senate only ends the criminal statute of limitations.

"The Assembly should separate these issues. They should pass a bill that deals with the statute of limitations and criminal penalties and a separate bill that addresses their position on civil actions," the Senate majority leader, Joseph Bruno, said earlier in the week.

But Mr. Silver is pressing forward with efforts to deal with both criminal and civil rape cases together.

"Survivors need every available avenue," a spokeswoman for Mr. Silver, Sisa Moyo, said Thursday. "Why would anybody want to protect the wallets of convicted rapists?"

Mr. Spitzer is among a growing number of Democrats who have urged Mr. Silver to deal with criminal charges before changing the laws governing civil cases.

At an Albany meeting earlier last week, the Manhattan district attorney, Robert Morgenthau, reportedly lashed out at Mr. Silver over the issue. His office refused to comment.