Reply #14: i just found this on wiki [View All]

[AlCzervik]

A presidential pardon may be granted at any time after commission of the offense; the pardoned person need not have been convicted or even formally charged with a crime. In the overwhelming majority of cases, however, the Pardon Attorney will only consider petitions from persons who have completed their sentences and, in addition, have demonstrated their ability to lead a responsible and productive life for a significant period after conviction or release from confinement. Federal courts have held that the President may make a pardon or reprieve conditional, and that a person who is granted such a pardon or reprieve cannot refuse it, but must accept and comply with its conditions.
The pardon power of the President extends only to offenses cognizable under Federal law. However, the governors of most states have the power to grant pardons or reprieves for offenses under state criminal law. In other states, that power is committed to an appointed agency or board, or to a board and the governor in some hybrid arrangement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon