Probably the only reason he wasn’t locked up for life is because the judge had the case thrown out due to the FBI technically failing to follow proper procedure. Had it not been for that, he’d be as “free” as Charles Manson (who is still locked up even if he isn’t dead).
And heck, Che actually ended up exiled from Cuba due to being an incompetent boob. Even had to make a pitiful plea letter begging to be let back in. So he wasn’t even that. Though that said, I think Howard Zinn had something similar as a motive regarding his leaving the CPUSA.