This is the best sentence there is. I don't know how old this man is, but the foresight and the actual 'act' of being in a superstrict prison for the rest of my life (and that can be many decades) is more cruel than death. I think many underestimate the power of not having personal freedom, especially of being locked away in a tiny cell.
Sorry if this sounded too realistic instead of all the inhumane torturing others wanted.