It depends on the person, for example myself if I had done that and been convicted the best gift you could give me would be a firing squad ,the thought of spending the rest of my life in super maximum security lock up would be worse than death itself. I've been to and worked in many federal pens so I know what I'm talking about.
On the other hand in this country the winds of politics blow from left to right and there is no gaurantee that you will spend the rest of your life in the pen. Just look at Carla Holmolka who is enjoying life in the Caribean or that guy who beheaded a man on a bus not that long ago who is now out on day passes.