Mr. Lai’s lawyers note that his grand conspiracy amounted to little beyond speaking up for what he thought was right. With his wealth, his unguarded views and his overseas friends, Mr. Lai was portrayed as the devious “mastermind” of this traitorous scheme. Heavily armed police surround the courtroom whenever Mr. Lai appears, as though the 77-year-old might bust out like Billy the Kid. Hong Kong could never have put Mr. Lai on trial without China’s approval, and far from destroying Mr. Lai it has made him a hero. Perhaps Beijing could come to regret that Hong Kong turned the persecuted newspaperman into a global icon.