I would surmise that he considers his life now a fate worse than death. I'd bet if given the option, he would accept the death penalty in a second. His life in prison is going to be a living hell. He clearly does not have the physical wherewithal to face his challenges. They're going to beat the shit out of him. I'd bet that if you locked him in solitary with a pistol and a round, you would just need to hose the room down the next morning. Win-win.