The father of a Vicksburg man facing up to 40 years in prison for the shaking death of his own infant son asked the judge for leniency during an emotional hearing in which he recounted his own struggles as a father.

Herbert Davis, the father of 25-year-old Jamaro South, recounted South’s childhood during a hearing Tuesday and asked Circuit Judge Isadore Patrick to give South a second chance.

“I wouldn’t throw the boy away. I think he’s seen a lot of the mistakes that he’s made,” Davis said as he recounted his own struggles as a father.

Under state law, South must serve at least 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.

South, who did not appear in court Tuesday, pleaded guilty March 19 in the shaking death of his son, Jamaro Carter Jr. After the plea, South was immediately returned to prison where he is serving a 10-year sentence for a probation violation.

Davis said South’s mother left unannounced with the boy when he was about 2 weeks old.

“We struggled a lot with financial problems,” Davis said. “After he was born we had two weeks of happiness.”

He later found them living in what he described as extreme poverty near Newellton, La.

“I was always trying to help him out, even though I didn’t get to raise my boy,” Davis said.

At 15, South moved to Vicksburg where he lived with Davis’ mother. He was a good kid but regularly found himself in trouble, his father said.

“He’s a little turned around. He came out of one world and jumped over to this world, Everything was scrambled I think,” Davis said. “He was on the path to doing the right thing sometimes. He just got turned around.”

Davis said he only met his grandson on a few occasions and could not describe in detail the nature of the relationship between his son and grandchild.

Defense Attorney Chris Green called no other witnesses. Last week he said he might present testimony from Jamaro Carter’s mother.

District Attorney Ricky Smith called no witnesses during the hearing.

“We have nothing to add to what’s already been stated,” he told Patrick.

South was alone with the 6-month old, on Dec. 14, 2013, when the boy was injured and later died of head injuries, police and prosecutors have said.

He initially confessed to shaking the 6-month old because the baby wouldn’t stop crying, but later recanted the confession, according to testimony given by police investigators Lt. Troy Kimble and Bobby Jones at a probable cause hearing in July.