Novelist Ted Bell’s Socialite Wife to Surrender at County Lockup

Posted by Jose Lambiet , May 24, 2012 Print

The socialite/artist/heiress wife of spy novelist Ted Bell is scheduled to surrender to authorities over the next few hours after being accused of pointing a high-caliber handgun on lawfirm staffers sent to her Palm Beach house by a judge.

Page Lee Hufty, a painter and the great-granddaughter of Standard Oil co-founder John Archbold, allegedly took a loaded Taurus Judge .410 out of a gun safe April 17, and pointed it at paralegal Lora Lane and videographer James Lucas, according to the police report.

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A Palm Beach Police source said a criminal lawyer hired by Hufty told them he’ll take her to the county lockup to be arrested, processed and bonded out instead of getting a ride to the West Palm Beach jail in handcuffs in the back of a squad car.

Hufty is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, a felony, and reckless diplay of a firearm, a misdemeanor. The 64-year-old has no criminal record but could face at least a year in jail.

Hufty, who once was hot’n'heavy with former U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, said she didn’t point the gun at anyone in particular and aimed between Lane and Lucas.

And to back her story up, or not, lawyers will be able to go to the videotape: Lucas was filming inside the house as Hufty held the Taurus!

He and Lane were at the house to fulfill a court order that mandated them to videotape the Everglades Island home and its content for use in Hufty’s contentious divorce from Bell. One of the issues in the case centers around the use of the house.

Lane and Lucas were working for lawyer Martin Haines, who represents the writer of the best-selling Alex Hawke series.

According to the police report, Hufty allegedly told Lane as she pulled the gun out of a safe: “Yes, I have a loaded gun, and if you really make me mad, watch out! I actually was in the Navy ROTC and I can shoot.”

“Are you happy?” Hufty allegedly asked Lane as she pointed the weapon.

“Of course not,” Lane replied, keeping her composure as she and Lucas walked out, and called police.

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