It's going to be a long messy 3 ring circus.
But he could certainly say that he said it under duress, he said it without the benefit of Miranda rights or defense attorney. Plus, if I were him I would recant it; just to make things miserable and perpetuate the circus atmosphere.
IMHO, the more foolish they can make America look, the more likely they will be able to recruit more Jihadists to fight the 'stupid' Great Satan. And that does not include the hey-day that Al Quaeda is going to have celebrating their 'hero' on TV. Bear in mind, many Islamists do not speak english - so do you suppose any 'Journalistic License' will be taken in the translation that airs in the Middle East?
I just wish, with all my heart, that the fools who make these idiotic decisions, would be held personally accountable for the death and mayhem that will result from those decisions.