Can he possibly understand law well enough to know there is no case?This case isn't about law. It's about Institutionalized Mob Justice, with the media at the center of the mob and the president at the head of it.
Even a fair-minded jury (if possible to assemble)would be afraid to find Z not guilty.
There are bounties, dead or alive, death threats coming in on Twitter, and a constant threat of burning down the town if Zim is not dealt with properly...and I think that would be seeing Zim dead.
The only thing that I haven't heard from this mob yet is GET A ROPE...