If one is a member in good standing of God's One True Religion (I'm giving good odds it turns out to be the Congregation of Jehovah's Presbytery of Zion) prayer probably could change things, but as a member of God's One True Religion, and obviously accruing all the benefits that are bestowed upon them, why would such a person want to change anything??
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.