A prison consultant testified to the conditions. The prosecutor, on cross, brought out that there's no way to know for certain where Tsarnaev would be designated and even if he was designated to Supermax, how long Tsarnaev would stay there -- he could at some point in his life be moved elsewhere.

Tsarnaev is now subjected to SAMS (special administrative measures.) If sent to Supermax, he'd likely go to the "H" unit, which is the Special Security Unit for those with SAMS. (See 28 C.F.R. §§ 501.2 and 501.3.)

Here is a 2011 affidavit by Supermax Associate Warden Louis J. Milusnic on the H Unit. Here's a 2009 affidavit by Dennis Collins, unit manager of the General Population units at Supermax, submitted in a lawsuit brought by Shoe Bomber Richard Reid. Reid spent 7 years in the H Unit before his SAMS were terminated in 2009 and he was moved to a General Population unit two months later. From the affidavits:

Life in the H Unit:

Each cell in H-Unit has approximately 75.5 square feet of living space and does not have a sallyport or a shower. Each cell has a solid outer door. Each cell’s solid outer door has a window, which looks out on to the range. Each cell also has a window that looks outside, providing the inmate with natural lighting. While inmate Reid was housed in H-Unit, the inmates received a minimum of 5 hours of out-of-cell exercise per week. The inmates in H-Unit are currently receiving 7 hours of out-of-cell exercise per week. The inmates recreate individually in secure single recreation areas. The inmates consume their meals in their cells. The inmates receive two monthly social telephone calls and may receive social visits.

The General Population units aren't much better:

Each cell in the General Population Units is 87 square feet, which does not include the sallyport area of the cell, which is 17 square feet. Each cell has a solid outer door and an inner grill. Each cell solid outer door has a window, which looks out on to the range. Each cell also has a window that looks outside, providing the inmate with natural lighting. Inmates in general population receive a minimum of 10 hours of out-of-cell exercise per week. The inmates recreate individually in secure single recreation areas. The inmates consume their meals in their cells. Shower stalls are located within the cells. Inmate Reid is now permitted to purchase items from the General Population commissary list.

In General population, inmates get some outdoor (not just out of cell) exercise and more TV stations. There are 4 General Population units.

[GP inmates]have individual black and white televisions in each cell, which provide 24-hour select broadcast channels (60 Channels); channels for closed circuit institutional programming (Recreation, Education, Religious Services, and Psychology); radio stations; and digital music channels.

GP inmates are allowed communication with the media (28 CFR 541.20). The General Population units have a step down program, with the potential for transfer to a less secure institution. It's a long process -- 3 years-- during which the inmate may "progress" from the General Population Units, through "Intermediate and Transitional Units, to finally, the Pre-Transfer Unit located at the United States Penitentiary, High Security, Florence, Colorado. Each stage has a few more "privileges."

The H Unit has a similar but separate program. For more, check out the 2014 Amnesty International Report, Entombed: Isolation in the Federal Prison System. More about Admax is here.

There are also "supermax" units at the federal prisons in Marion, IL and Terre Haute, IN. Wherever Jahar is designated, should he get life, it won't be pleasant and his life as he knew it will be over. A life sentence is a death sentence -- the only way out is in a pine box. It's just a question of when.