"AMERICA'S MOST WANTED" ALL-STAR AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED; EIGHT FIRST RESPONDERS VIE FOR TITLE AND CASH PRIZE IN CONTEST SPONSORED BY SPRINT

Voting Begins Thursday, April 16

Television's top crime-fighting show, America's Most Wanted, asked Americans to help give special recognition to the police, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders who are dedicated to protecting us by nominating their favorite hero for the AMW All-Star Award. The public responded by submitting the names of hundreds of brave men and women. Through online voting, Americans selected eight weekly finalists. Now, public voting is set to begin Thursday, April 16 to choose the Grand Prize Winner: the 2009 AMW All-Star.

Voting in the fifth annual AMW All-Star Contest, sponsored by Sprint, is simple, and members of the public may vote once a day, every day, at the America's Most Wanted website, www.amw.com, or by text message from your Sprint phone (details on how to vote by text message are available at the AMW website and standard text messaging charges apply). Voting for the Grand Prize winner closes on May 4. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter, and will be featured in an episode of America's Most Wanted to air Saturday, May 23, 2009 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX).

The eight finalists are:

• Bryan Lawrence, a Roanoke, Virginia police officer who was attacked and seriously injured while attempting to apprehend an assault suspect.

• Kyle Doolen, a Madison County, Illinois Sheriff's Deputy who displayed extraordinary courage when he found himself in the middle of a shootout during a high-speed chase on a highway. • Raymond Garcia, a Lieutenant with the El Segundo, California police, who survived a close-quarters gun battle with an out-of-control suspect.

• Richard Bowes, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania police officer who was gravely wounded while taking down a cop killer. • Jason Fishburn, a Patrolman with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, who was shot in the head while chasing a triple murder suspect.

• Susan Porcello, a New York City police officer, who opened her heart to an elderly man she met on an emergency call and cared for him until his death several months later.

• Joe Young, a police officer from Fredericksburg, Virginia whose quick thinking helped end a tense and violent confrontation.

• William Weigt, a detective with the Peoria, Arizona Police Department who was shot by a suspect and paralyzed from the waist down, but continues to work as an investigator despite being confined to a wheelchair.

AMW Host John Walsh will present the 2009 AMW All-Star with a check for $10,000 at the NASCAR SPRINT Cup Series™ All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 16th.