I was accosted by a guard in town demanding my bounty. I wanted to use my counterfit pardon edict, but there was no button for that, at least that I could find before the timer counted down.
Thanks. (No, I didn't get away. He killed me, but then the bounty was gone. Didn't understand it, but didn't have to worry anymore.)
When the guard killed you, he took the bounty out of your gold plus any stolen items that you had. Better to use that pardon before the guard catches you.