TROY - A teenager, accused of killing her own father, is free Friday, but, most likely, not for long.

Trinity Copeland, 17, had been behind bars since last July.

Rensselaer County DA Rich McNally tells us the murder charges were dropped for some legal reasons.

McNally says the judge threw out the indictment because the jurors were not told about a part of the law that says 'you don't have to run away from your home if you're protecting yourself inside the home'.

Investigators say Trinity Copeland fatally shot her 47-year-old father Harlan Copeland, in the apartment the two shared on Seventh Avenue.

It apparently happened after an argument over a $154 credit card charge.

Trinity says her father pointed the gun at her and that she only pulled the trigger because he forced her to.

The DA tells us Copeland will surrender next week and the case will go before a second grand jury. 

ALBANY - The National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday they intend to get tougher on drunk driving. With an ultimate goal of reaching zero alcohol related highway deaths, the NTSB proposed lowering the blood alcohol content to determine a drunk driver from .08 to .05.

More than 100 countries around the world have already adopted .05 as the legal standard. European nations that have done that have seen alcohol related fatalities more than cut in half.

Drunk driving kills 10,000 Americans every year. The NTSB thinks this country needs to do better.

"Alcohol impaired crashes are not accidents," says Deborah Hersman, chairman of the NTSB, "They are crimes."

LATHAM - The freeze warning out Monday night can put some plant life at risk.

So, if you planted vegetables or some annual flowers, they need to be covered.

NewsChannel 13 stopped by Faddegon's Nursery in Latham to get some tips on the best way to protect your plants.