Never said it didn't happen. Just that when cases are settled it tends to overshadow what actually happened, versus it going to trial and a judge saying you are guilty, you are going to jail.He admitted he choked her, he admitted it wasn't consensual, he used his money and power to silence her. The rape was real, it happened.
As for the idea of court and public opinion, Al Capone was a gangster, not just a guy who didn't pay his taxes. Fact of the matter is that discussion around sexual consent was way more pre-historic in 2003 than it was today.
The details of Kobe's case were overshadowed by the fact it was settled. You're saying things he said he did that I didn't even know about. I believe you.
But I feel like details like the ones you mentioned get lost because a lot of media groups at the time didn't make those things known, whereas if a judge had slammed the gavel down and sent him to jail we all would have known.
As for the Capone comparison I don't really get it. It's like bringing up that Bonnie and Clyde were murderous thugs that many of the public worshipped even after their deaths.
Though I agree that the way things were done in 2003 are definitely different than now. Not sure if its better or worse considering our president. Probably just more of the same, rich people getting away with devilish things. Some change, some never do.