Chinese legal system can not be trusted.  I have personal experiences with that corrupted system. When an illegal North Korean rip me off in the millions, I tried the legal system in Beijing....  I hired the first lawyer, the first lawyer told me I can not win the case. So, I hired the second lawyer, the second lawyer also told me I can not win the case.  So, I hired the 3rd lawyer, after few month later, the 3rd lawyer knew some judges in the court and told me that illegal North Korean bribed the judge in the amount of 300,000 RMB, unless I am willing to pay more than that, I'll lose the case....  All the judges are CCP members, obey to whatever the party decides. If the party do not care about the case, the judge will take the money from plaintiff and defender, winner is whoever has the most connection and pay the most bribe.....  Therefore, I believe Lai will not be killed, it is part of the political struggle within the party. Current leaders Hu-Wen is winning, Lai will tell what went on to Hu-Wen, and Hu-Wen will use that to win political points during the coming 18th party convention....  I am willing to bet, there will be some political leaders change soon to be announced, the winner and loser.... The winner will be Hu-Wen gangs and the loser will be Jiang and Shanghai gangs.... Because all the criminal activities were under Jiang and Shanghai gangs watch.....  Few years later, Lai will die in a natural cause of some sort in jail....
THE deportation of Lai Changxing counts as a big victory for Chinese officialdom, which has been trying to get him back for a solid decade.