I believe in the case of people like Al Capone and John Gotti, inmates will attack them to achieve notoriety or to make a name for themselves. There's a YouTube video where someone (a black guy, I think) who spent time at the same prison as Gotti said that when Gotti arrived, many inmates were starstruck. "What can I do for you Mr. Gotti?" saying things like that. I imagine that kind of respect and deference can incite feelings of jealousy in inmates who could care less about who he is.