It is often a stipulation of specialist doctor roles (such as the psychiatrist or w/e) that they do not have protective function until their opposite is caught (in this case the psychopath).
So at the time of his acceptance of death, Sam had no knowledge that the first lynch would be the psycho, and he wouldn't have had the ability to protect anyone. I'm not saying that he definitely protected himself or anything, I mean, we don't know who the mafia targeted. It may not have even been Sammy L.
This is a silly line of discussion, too many unknown factors.
I am curious about Sigourney's idea that there could be multiple psychopaths working together. Where did this line of thought come from?