Could Pontius Pilate Have Released Jesus?

Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him." (Luke 23:13-16 ESV)

Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream." (Matthew 27:19 ESV)

The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God." When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin." From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar." (John 19:7-12 ESV)

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves." (Matthew 27:24 ESV)

Could Pontius Pilate have released Jesus? He had many reasons to do so.

• He did not find Jesus guilty of any of the Jew's charges against him (Luke 23:14).
• His wife told him to have nothing to do with Jesus, a righteous man, because she suffered bad dreams because of him (Matthew 27:19).
• He was superstitious and believed in the supernatural, such as sons of gods (John 19:7-8).

Finally, when he had to condemn Jesus, he washed his hands and declared himself innocent of Jesus's blood (Matthew 27:24).

While the Bible did not tell us why Pontius Pilate was afraid of the Jews, secular history gave a possible reason as given in this quotation taken from "Daily Life In The Time Of Jesus  Bible.org"
QUOTE
When Tiberius moved to Capri, he left the empire in the hands of Sejanus, who was terribly anti-Semitic. Pilate implemented Sejanus' anti-Jewish policies in 26 A.D. with a vengeance. We read how he massacred Jews and established pagan emblems and rituals in the temple. But, Tiberius heard of this and the ambition of Sejanus (probably through Caligula), and so he returned to Rome. Sejanus was executed October 18, 31 A.D. In 32 Tiberius ordered the governors not to offend the Jews. Pilate was now forced to ingratiate himself to the emperor--he feared an uprising of the Jews, and so to placate the leaders he asked what he should do with Jesus. Two years earlier he would have never done that. Pilate could not afford to get into trouble with Tiberius--he would not be a "friend of Caesar." And finally, his enemy Herod Antipas now became his friend. Rome wanted peace in the territories; and the client kings and governors had to comply.
UNQUOTE

From the predestination perspective, Pontius Pilate must crucify Jesus.

However, from our temporal perspective, Pontius Pilate went through a normal decision making process within his own understanding as any of us would. His mind was not suddenly possessed by some divine impulse, making him incapable of releasing Jesus, even if he had wanted to. He could release Jesus, if he had decided that justice was more important than his career. He could release Jesus, if he thought that Jesus was a divine being who could help him with his career. He could release Jesus, if he thought that offending Jesus would be worse than offending Tiberius Caesar. His mind is capable of making decisions, just as how our mind make decisions. But he looked at his own political situation, weighed it against the possibility of inflicting injustice against a likely supernatural being, decided that it was better to be politically expedient than to offer justice, even to one who might be divine. He did it out of his own free will, his selfish purpose and in doing so, he fulfilled God's will unknowingly.