NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Walters, Timberlake boost ABC in ratings

NEW YORK

Thanks to Justin Timberlake and Barbara Walters, ABC is enjoying its second-best week in the ratings so far this year.

Timberlake was the big winner in Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards, which was seen by 10.7 million viewers. The Nielsen company said that represents a 13 percent increase over last year for the show, and was the most-watched Billboard awards since 2001. The show also featured a hologram of the late Michael Jackson dancing.

An estimated 9.5 million people watched ABC’s two-hour salute to retiring TV news legend Walters on Friday, the biggest audience the network has received in that time slot in two years.

For the week of May 12-18, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: “NCIS,” CBS, 16.95 million; “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 16.73 million; “NCIS: Los Angeles,” CBS, 14.85 million; “Dancing With the Stars,” ABC, 14.36 million; “Criminal Minds,” CBS, 12.03 million; “The Voice” (Monday), NBC, 11.12 million; “The Voice” (Tuesday), NBC, 10.96 million; “Person of Interest,” CBS, 10.95 million; “Billboard Music Awards,” ABC, 10.74 million; “Castle,” ABC, 10.59 million.

‘Shield’ actor Jace is arrested in wife’s death

LOS ANGELES

Actor Michael Jace, who played a police officer on the hit TV show “The Shield,” was arrested Tuesday after calling 911 and telling an operator that he shot his wife, authorities said.

Detectives were investigating whether the couple’s financial or other marital difficulties might have played a role in the killing that police said occurred during an argument Monday night while the couple’s two sons, both under 10, were in the house.

Police were unsure if the children had witnessed the argument or gunfire. They were placed in the care of relatives.

The body of April Jace, 40, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in a hallway of the home in the quiet, modest Hyde Park neighborhood of LA. Police recovered a handgun believed to belong to her husband, LA police Detective Dean Vinluan said.

“She came home with the kids, and then the dispute happened, and the shooting happened,” he said.

Michael Jace was seen walking out of the home as officers arrived. He was detained and later arrested.

“We don’t know if he came out of fear or was trying to get out of there,” Vinluan said.

Jace, 51, is best known for his role as LAPD Officer Julien Lowe in “The Shield.” He also appeared on the show “Southland” and had small roles in the movies “Planet of the Apes,” ‘’Boogie Nights” and “Forrest Gump.”

A printout of the incident history indicated that he had called 911 and told the operator that he had shot his wife, Vinluan said.

Jace was booked on suspicion of homicide, and detectives intend to review the full 911 call from Jace and other calls from neighbors reporting that shots had been fired before he is formally charged.

Associated Press