What does Luke 23:8 mean?

Herod Antipas is the "tetrarch" over Galilee and Perea. He is the son of Herod the Great. Here, he finally gets a chance to meet Jesus. Although he is the ruler of the territory where Jesus has spent most of His ministry, Antipas's palace is in Perea, on the other side of the Jordan River and Dead Sea from Judea. His loyal followers have been trying to destroy Jesus for years (Mark 3:6), but Antipas knows Jesus only by reputation.

Antipas does know that Jesus is somehow associated with John the Baptist. John baptized in or around Perea and regularly condemned Antipas for his relationship with Herodias, who had divorced Antipas's brother Philip. Herodias hated John and convinced Antipas to arrest him, but Antipas would not kill John. He liked to hear John's teaching and he feared both John and the people who believed John was a prophet (Matthew 14:1–12). Eventually, Herodias's machinations forced Antipas to have John beheaded (Mark 6:17–29).

Antipas heard of Jesus' ministry after John had died. Members of his court speculated that Jesus was Elijah or a new prophet in the same fashion as those from the Jewish Scriptures. Antipas believed John had risen from the dead (Mark 6:14–16). Antipas wants to meet with Jesus, to see who He is and witness for himself some of the miracles Jesus performs. That doesn't mean Antipas's curiosity is benevolent. At one point the Pharisees warned Jesus that Antipas wanted to kill Him. Jesus called Antipas a "fox," and then said He had work to do but then He would go to Jerusalem where Antipas would get his wish (Luke 13:31–33).